Wait for It
by Babylawyer
Summary: What if when Regina woke up from the curse in Hyperion Heights she went and got Robin to help her and not Zelena? They work together to try and break the curse, save their children and reunite their family after twenty years apart. This is a season seven rewrite starting from episode six and is canon up until that point, except for minor timeline changes
1. Chapter 1

Roni Malum had had a lot of heartbreak in her life. Lucy's outburst that morning, the "Regina bomb" as Henry termed it, had sent her down memory lane, thinking about all of her disappointments, which there were many. While she doesn't actually believe she was an Evil Queen, she must have done something wrong in a past life to be stuck with the hand she's been dealt, committed some atrocity that made it so nothing ever goes right for her. This has to be some kind of karmic balancing for past sins. Her life is filled with disappointments, mistakes, losses and what ifs. Many of the big what ifs were also the biggest losses in her life: what if the agency hadn't backed out the adoption, what if Damien hadn't died, what if her mother hadn't married that rat bastard of a stepfather who used and abused her until the day she ran away, and what if she hadn't let Archer Locke get away? Those were her biggest heartbreaks and only one of them she had been able to do something about, but she didn't.

She told Belfry regrets aren't really her thing, and they aren't, but she does have one, she regrets how things went down with Archer. She had loved him more than any other person in her whole life, might even still love him. It was an instant attraction, one she had fought initially, preferring to stay on her own and independent. But he had broken down her walls, and for the first time in her life, she felt like someone really saw her, not her persona, her past or her mistakes. He saw and wanted Roni, all of her, and it had absolutely terrified her to let him in, but some strong encouragement, she went for it. For a while, it was everything, she had never felt so supported, loved and cherished than in those moments with Archer. But she was Roni, and life always came and kicked her in the ass. So, she wasn't that surprised when a woman showed up out of the blue claiming he was the father of her son.

After verifying it with a DNA test, Archer had become a father to a son that lived in New York. He was a good man, and he loved his son so much. It was heartbreaking to see how the distance, expense and travel were preventing him from having the relationship he really wanted with Robert, one that he needed after missing so much of his life. She saw how it killed Archer to only see his son in person every other month, and she started seeing him less as he worked more and more overtime to raise money to visit him. His life became all about Robert, as it should have been, but it was painful to watch as he worked himself to death just to experience a few short days with him. It wasn't enough, and it was never going to be enough.

It broke her when Archer confided in her how he had always wanted a child and that for a while he thought that she was going to be his chance. It was then Roni knew she couldn't give Archer what he needed and what he deserved. She can't have children, something she'd begrudgingly made peace with. Though she wanted children, she knew it was best that she wasn't able to have them, that there was no one in her life for her to fuck up. The only one was Archer, and she knew it would be selfish to keep him around when he already had a child and she would never be able to give him another one, a reason to stay. He was staying for her, and it was not enough, so though it broke her heart—a wound that never healed no matter how hard she tried—she convinced him to move to New York to be with his son. She knew that she was the thing that was holding him back, and so she ended it. Telling him to go was the hardest thing she had ever had to do, but she knew him going to New York was the best thing for him and his son. That was what propelled her to stick with radio silence even as her heart ached for him. He gave her his New York phone number and address and begged her to call or visit if she changed her mind. To this day, fifteen years later, she still wonders what would have happened if she had fought harder for him.

She would never have wanted to take him away from his son, but she could have tried harder, saw where it went, maybe moved to New York eventually if they'd been able to make it work long distance. She had loved him enough, she knows that much by the way it still burns, by the way she still cares so much for him, but she had been too scared to take that risk. Too scared to leave the only family she had left, her best friend Kelly and her daughter Margot. She and Kelly had just opened the bar when Maria had shown up, and it was far easier to make excuses why it wouldn't work than to fully commit to a future with Archer. She had tried that once before and had her heart trampled on when her fiancée, Damien Equus, had died suddenly of a heart attack. As much as she loved Archer, she'd been too scared to take that risk.

And here she is over a decade later still hung up on Archer Locke. The family she had once used as an excuse to stay had abandoned her years ago, and she was alone yet again. It seemed to be her destiny, always alone, never having someone in her corner. Relationships with people who actually cared about her were fleeting, they never stuck around once they knew the real her. She's never been enough, but she was to Archer.

She still has his number saved in her phone. Every once in a while she thinks about calling. It's silly, what would she even say to him after all these years? Would he even remember who she is? Would he care? There's a real possibility that he's changed his number, it has been a decade and a half, but she just can't bring herself to delete it. Every time she tries, something holds her back. The same thing happens every time she thinks about calling him, she opens up his contact in her phone, then chickens out.

Tonight is turning out to be one of those nights where she stares at his contact in her phone, one that's complete with an adorable picture of him and his son she snapped the last time he visited, when she realized she had to end it. She sits and stares, thinking of happier times, that really was the happiest she had ever been, so of course it had to end. She lets herself imagine calling him. Does he still sound the same? Would he even want to talk to her? Does he hate her? Can he ever forgive her? Those and a million other questions swirl around in her brain as she sips at a glass of whiskey, alone with her thoughts and what ifs. It's not a good combination, but it's par for the course for her, and that conversation with Henry had opened up old wounds, reminding her how truly alone in the world she is. No family, no friends, so lonely that she tries to befriend young, similarly lonely patrons of her bar and help them avoid a life like hers, one that's barely worth living.

She thinks about it sometimes, about ending it, there would be no one to miss her, no one would care, life would go on. But she can't go through with it, too scared to do anything it seems. Her one saving grace is the bar, the place that barely makes enough to pay the rent, but it's hers and she built it from the ground up, it's the one thing she's gotten right—well, ish given how poorly it's doing. It provides her with an opportunity for socializing that she desperately needs, though many of her patrons are not people she'd willingly associate with outside of the joint, there's a comfort in having someone to talk to every now and then. Even with how solitary she is, how much she likes to be alone, and how much she often hates people, going more than a few days without seeing or talking to another person drives her absolutely mad. She's learned the hard way that too much alone time is far more dangerous than too little, is a breeding ground for all of her demons to come out to play and drive her deeper and deeper into despair.

Without her bar she'd have nothing and that had sort of been the point when she agreed to sell it to Belfry, she'd have nothing tying her down, no reason to keep going. Belfry caught her at a low point, and she is so grateful she found her fight again. Things had seemed hopeless, then Jacinda started to fight against Belfry and inspired her to stand up to her, to not give that awful woman what she wanted. It's a struggle, and she can barely afford to keep the bar going, but it's worth the financial precarity to shove it to Belfry.

At one time she was always brave like that, stood up against the bullies of the world and actually went after what she wanted. She's not sure when she lost that, but she wants it back, wants to be able to finally make this damn phone call and settle this Archer thing once and for all.

Maybe she can, all she has to do is hit the button…

Her heart races as the phone rings, once, then a second time. This is probably the stupidest thing she has ever done, and she's done a lot of dumb things. Who calls someone after fifteen years of silence? It's crazy, but she is and she's committed now. Her heart is racing as it rings again and time seems to be passing at an exceptionally slow rate. Everything has slowed to nearly a stop and as it rings a fourth time she realizes she hadn't checked the time in New York. It's eight in Seattle, too early to have drank as much as she has, but oh well. That makes it eleven in New York, so it's not exactly a middle of the night call, but still the timing is not ideal. She's just about to hang up when she hears a, "Roni?" in that sensual voice that always makes her heart race.

"Hi," she stammers out breathlessly, "I know it's been a long time, I hope it's not too late to call."

"It's not, though I must admit I was very shocked when I saw the caller ID, I didn't think I would ever hear from you again."

That's a fair observation. "I didn't think I'd ever call again," she admits as her hand tugs at her hair nervously.

"So what changed?" he asks curiously and somehow without judgment.

She's not really sure how to answer that question but settles on, "I met someone."

"Oh, I see," he says darkly.

Oh god, that's not what she meant at all. This is not going how she wanted it, not even a minute in and she's already fucking it up, because she's Roni and that's what she does. His tone tells her that he thinks she's seeing someone romantically (and she was referring to Henry, which just no) but the fact that it bothers him thrills her more than it should.

"It's not like that, just a kid who's been hanging out at the bar, he got me thinking about the past is all."

"I've also found myself thinking about the past lately," he replies softly, and god she's missed that lovely voice. "I've often wondered how you were doing, but I didn't think you ever wanted to speak to me again."

She knows where he got that impression. She had been quite harsh when she broke up with him in order to convince him to go, and to let her go. She winces remembering how he had said she was his future and she told him she had never loved him.

"I always wanted to say I'm sorry, I just…" thinking about that night brings up too many emotions and her throat goes tight. She's torn between wanting to hide her emotions, and that impulse she's always had with him to be completely honest. "I just needed you to go, you needed to be with your son. I was holding you back, and I couldn't do that to you." With that she chokes back a sob remembering how awful it had been to do that, how much it hurt to break both of their hearts.

"I understand why you did what you did, and moving to New York to be Robert's father was and is amazing, but I never got over you." His voice begins to rise in anger, "I would have died for you, Roni, and we could have made it work. If you had just been honest with me, things would have been so different. We could have been a family, me, you and Robert. But you, you took that chance away from us when you lied to me."

He's right, and she can't stop the tears from welling in her eyes. She lets out a shaky breath in response, trying to collect herself before speaking. "I couldn't give you what you needed, and you deserved so much better than me."

"You shouldn't have decided that for me," he spits out bitterly, adding, "I would have done anything to make us work, and it would have worked. I found out later the reason Maria found me was because she was dying, Roni. She died six months after you broke my heart. If you had just hung on for six months, everything would have been different. Why couldn't you do that, Roni? Why couldn't you let yourself be happy?"

"I don't know, I'm just destined to keep making mistakes, to keep ending up alone."

"You know I've never been able to love anyone after you. And god knows, I've tried."

"Me too," she whispers pitifully, knowing exactly what he means. She gave up on love after realizing no one was ever going to make her feel the way he had.

"I kept your number this whole time, and I'm glad you called, I'm glad to know you are sorry, but please don't ever contact me again. You ruined my chances at love, and I cannot forgive you for that."

Roni hears the click and knows that he hung up. In all the times she had imagined how that conversation would go, him crushing her heart like that wasn't one of them. She thought the worst she could hear was that he was with someone else, but now, she would give anything for that to be the case, to take away the knowledge that she ruined Archer Locke's life.

* * *

The next day is rough, Weaver brings her the adoption papers that have her thinking crazy things, that turn out not to be so crazy when Ivy wakes her up. She wants to kill that bitch for what she did to Henry, but she is not that person anymore. But god, she wants to wipe that stupid smirk off of Ivy's face. Her head is pounding and she's disoriented as hell as her brain sorts out what's real and what's not. Roni's life is swirling in her head with Regina's and it's all too much, far too much pain for two lifetimes, one of which is fake, but Ivy is here talking, gloating, and she can't have that.

She pushes through the storm in her head, forcing the words out, unable to control the anger she asks, "What do you want, huh? A gold star, or did you just wake me to gloat?"

There are so many things, and she should be doing more, should be getting answers, but she doesn't yet know the questions.

The world is still spinning and she can't quite focus in on Drizella, who's talking, and she needs to listen, wills her brain to stop screaming at her so she can hear these words over the onslaught of memories, fears and confusion. "As much fun as that is, no. I woke you up because I need your help, I am on the verge of showing my mother what true suffering is, and I can't have anyone breaking the curse now."

It takes a minute, her brain too full of information to sort out what's happening, what Drizella means. She knows it's important, her body is reacting and she can feel a well of sorrow, knows that something is terribly wrong, just not what.

Her stomach pitches so hard she nearly gags as she realizes in horror that she's been pushing Henry toward Jacinda, unintentionally endangering her son. The thudding in her head couples with the grief over what's happened to Henry and she's consumed by pain, frozen by it. The rest of Drizella's visit is a haze, passes by in blur, leaving her with a feeling of loss so strong she breaks down as soon as she's alone in the bar. She blames it all on a migraine when she gets someone to cover for her, though this pain is far far worse than that.

She leaves the bar distraught, broken and hopeless. The pain swallows her whole, an endless spiral, until it finally spits her out, leaving her with an emotional hangover worse than she's ever had. Everything hurts, her body, mind, heart and soul. She's known earth-shattering pain before, but this hits harder than almost anything else because of what's at stake: Henry and her role in it all.

That last line Drizella left her with, "breaking hearts is kind of what you're good at," sticks with her as she processes, and eventually, it triggers that conversation she had with Archer yesterday. He had sounded just like Robin, but that couldn't be, and though she wants to know who that was, a weak part of her hoping it was somehow Robin, she is a mother first. She calls Henry back with shaky hands, pretending to be Roni once she's regained some control over her emotions, and arranges to meet up with him. It's pure torture knowing the pain the curse caused him, especially given her role in its enactment. She did this to save him, couldn't bear losing him, but she knows that having no one is the worst curse imaginable, perhaps worse than death. The curse was to protect his life, but he's been barley living under the curse, and it kills her that his happiness is so close, but she cannot let him have it. She has to actively work against it, and what kind of mother is she for doing that? Is it really the right thing to leave him like this, all alone and in the dark, unaware of how much he is loved, letting him believe he doesn't have anyone who cares about him? She has been there before and wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy, let alone her poor son.

She loves him too much to let him go, but she's made mistakes with that before, and it's selfish but she won't let go, can't let go. Henry would have made a different choice, would have told her to let him die rather than cast this curse, but she did it anyway, couldn't not. And now he's paying the price for that, they all are, and it's all her fault.

God, she wishes there was magic here, wishes she could rip her damn heart out and escape the weight of all these emotions which are bogging her down, preventing her from figuring out how to fix this mess she's made.

She did one thing right today at least. She didn't finish the drink Ivy had poured for her, and somehow amidst the chaos in her brain, she'd saved it. A part of her must have known it would be useful, and she's hoping there is enough magic left in that drink to wake another person. It's too risky to wake Henry—no matter how much she longs for it, to ease his pain—because contact with magic may jumpstart the magic poison that's flooded his veins. Though she doesn't have someone to wake up yet, she's smart enough to save this bit of magic, knows it will be useful to her later on. For now though, she needs to see her son. She saw him the day before as Roni, but she has to see him now that she's awake.

She stares at their picture as she waits for him and wills herself not to cry, she's better than that, needs to be better than that for Henry. She smiles and fights off a flood of tears as he walks up to her, healthy, alive, but unknowing. She desperately needs a hug right now, but that won't happen, can't happen. She will not add to his suffering, cannot have him concerned about her.

Soon he's telling her how well things went with Jacinda, and she wants him to be happy so badly, wants for them to be together again, but she knows she has to interfere and stop it. It's far too dangerous. It breaks her heart all over again because this Henry is so miserable, and Jacinda and Lucy have been taking parts of that away, not all of it because the curse is cruel, bestowing deep rooted grief that can only be plucked by its undoing. She cannot fix it, they cannot fix it. All she wants is to hold him in her arms, comfort him, but she can't. She is not this person for him, he doesn't have that person. There is no one to truly comfort him.

She can't help herself and she asks him about his family, about who his mother is, praying the curse gave him some decent memories, but her prayers go unanswered. He tells her he has no one, that he was born in prison and grew up in the system. Of course that's what it gave him, made him lost and alone, like Emma. She hadn't meant to vocalize that last part, or any of it, but she did, and now she's forced to make up an excuse. To explain how she knows who Emma is. Thank god there's a book in this curse too, or she would be screwed. She needs to be more careful, she cannot let herself lose her focus, even to relief as strong as seeing Henry again.

All this Henry ever dreamt of was having a mom, which he does, and she is aching to tell him he does have two, but she can't. She can't do a fucking thing to help him, and it's pure torment because she was never one to sit by and watch her baby suffer. She hopes that her grabbing his hand isn't weird to him, because she needs to touch him, needs to offer the slightest bit of comfort, one that's actually for the both of them. She wants more, so much more, but tries to content herself with what she does have, which is a bit of a relationship with her son. At least they aren't strangers, she can see him and talk to him, knows where he is. She can't do much else, but that's going to have to be enough. She has to accept what she has and be strong for him, so she can start to right the wrongs.

It's when she gets home that she thinks again about Archer, Roni's version of Robin. She wouldn't think twice about it, knowing that the curse modified their memories, even has cursed memories of Daniel and Mal that aren't real. Except with Archer, she spoke to him the day before, and that can't be a part of the curse. Whoever he is, he sounded like her Robin, not Locksley, which is impossible, but she doesn't think the curse could manufacture that conversation. It can't, she knows it can't, knows more about the curse than almost anyone, but if it can't, then what the hell was that?

Snow has definitely rubbed off on her because she lets herself hope that somehow, some way, he is her Robin. She's just lonely, clinging to unrealistic hopes and dreams to keep her head above water. God, she really wishes she could reach her friend right now, could hear Snow's voice, have her support in fixing this trainwreck. She'd take Charming or even Grumpy, someone, anyone to talk to about what to do, but she's all alone, the curse's favourite state. The only way to answer her question about Archer, is to see him for herself. She has to see him, and find out who he is. It will inevitably cause her heartbreak, but she has to know, but she's swimming it in anyway, what's one more?

She can't help herself and she calls Archer again. She is blatantly ignoring his request from not even twenty-four hours ago that she never contact him again. It rings once, then goes to voicemail, and she knows that he's ignored her call. She doesn't leave a message because well, what would she even say? But she vows to herself to figure out who he is, and get him back where he belongs. She owes it to whomever it is, and it has to be Locksley, it must be. This damn curse shouldn't be making both versions of her miserable. She owes it to the Queen to try and send him back, or better yet, to get her here to help sort out this mess.

She's not sure how long she was cursed, but it couldn't have been more than two years because it was cast just after Lucy's eighth birthday and Lucy is nine. She knows time isn't frozen here like it was in Storybrooke. She remembers celebrating birthdays and bemoaning her own all alone. Those are real memories, not hazy curse ones, not the twisted versions of her own reality that once felt so real.

She goes to Rumple for help, but infuriatingly, he won't stop pretending that he's not awake. She uses every weapon she can think of, even pulls the Belle card to get him to admit it, but he won't. He's picked his side and it's not hers, which is a problem, but one for another day. She's desperate to have someone on her side, to use this potion to wake someone so she's not in this hell alone, but no one here is right, waking them would cause them more pain than good and she will not do that.

Archer isn't Robin, deep down she does know that, even though she's clinging to ridiculous and crazy hopes, but he is the only one she wouldn't harm by waking them up.

She was counting on Rumple to help her out (how naive of her) or at least use his skills to help find Archer for her. Luckily, he's not the only person she knows at the police station. She brings Hook a cake, in part to make up for the one from Gothel she threw out, one she ends up making at the bar because the oven in her apartment can't hold a temperature. Jesus fuck, nothing can go right for her, can it? Her place is a dump, rundown and messy, but she doesn't have the time or the money to deal with that. One thing does go right for her, the cake (and probably the unsubtle crush on her the curse gave Rogers) works, and he finds her Archer Locke's address.

By some miracle, Jacinda is busy with Nick, Henry's best friend and Lucy's supposed father, which means Henry is safe for the time being, so Regina racks up a credit card debt she has no real way to pay, (things were so much easier when she was rich) and hops on the next flight to New York.

She's nervous and jittery the entire flight. This man hates her (or at least his cursed self does) and she has to somehow convince him to have a drink with her, so she can slip him the last of the potion from Drizella.

She knocks on what had better be his door or she's going to kill Hook, and hopes he doesn't use the peephole to see that it's her. She doesn't know what she will do if he doesn't open the door. She has no real plan, is going on instinct at a time when she's completely frazzled. It's not smart, but somehow she gets lucky.

He opens the door and glares down at her, as he bites off a bitter, "Roni, what are you doing here? I thought I made myself perfectly clear."

She cannot stop staring; it really is him, or Locksley. He looks incredible, he's barely aged but the subtle ways he has are so nice. That silver tinge in his hair just makes him that much more handsome, as do the crinkles around his eyes. She should be hurt by how he's talking to her, but she can't be when she's seeing her soulmate again for the first time in almost twenty years.

She finds her voice amidst all the staring at him, "You did, but please just have a drink with me. You will soon see that all of this is meaningless."

"Meaningless?" he asks incredulously, and she regrets her word choice, but she's distracted by him and his presence, that forest smell she's only been able to recreate in dreams. Her distracted bubble pops when he says, "You ruined my life."

She needs to focus, needs to get him to have this drink, then she can stare at how much more handsome he's become. This is going horribly, as expected, and she should have been better prepared. She wasn't counting on being quite so thrown by him, though she should have, considering how starved she's been of his presence, how she no longer has anything left of his, no mementos of their time together.

She simply says, "I'm not leaving until you have a drink with me," pulling out the bottle and taking a chance as she knows he could easily slam the door in her face, then she'd be screwed. She's counting on there being just enough of Robin in there to prevent that. If there's not, she doesn't know what she'll do.

"Fine, one drink, and then you're leaving," he says, letting her step in the door. An even stronger whiff of his forest scent hits her, and it feels like coming home. She missed it, and him, so much, but she can't let herself get too caught up in fantasies of this being her Robin, because she knows that can't be (maybe it can, please somehow let it be true). With him here in front of her, it's so hard, and she hates that she has to keep fighting her body's instincts for physical contact with the people she loves. Unlike Henry, Robin hates her, but it doesn't deter her from drinking him in hungrily, she cannot stop herself. He really looks like he could be her Robin, and she's setting herself up for a whole new well of pain with these ridiculous thoughts.

She looks around to stop gawking at him as he makes his way off into another room, his place is not bad, definitely not the worst she's ever seen (for sure better than hers as Roni). It's a bit sparse, but she wouldn't really expect otherwise from a man who lived most of life in a tent in the woods. Robin had been a man of few possessions, and it seems that aspect of his personality stayed with Archer.

He comes back from what must be the kitchen with glasses that he sets down on the coffee table, clearly wanting to avoid touching her. It pains her, and she has to remind herself that will remain when she wakes up Locksley, that this isn't her Robin, no matter how much she wants it to be.

He sits back in silence and waits as she grabs the glasses.

"The bottle is in my purse, I'll, uh, be right back," she says awkwardly, having purposefully dropped it in the hall, so she could pour his special drink without him seeing.

Okay, here goes nothing. This the last moment of pretending she gets her soulmate back, even though she knows better and that that will never happen. His entire soul was destroyed, he can never come back, there is nothing to come back.

She pours with a shaky hand as nerves overtake her. She's not ready to let go of the fantasy, but has to. She strides back into the living room, and sets his drink on the table for him.

He grabs it quickly, downing it before saying, "Alright, well, time for you to go."

She's barely sat down and he stands up, gesturing for her to go. In another circumstance, she would laugh, but no, she's waiting anxiously. It's been almost thirty seconds and his face hasn't changed. And oh no, shit, it wasn't enough, it's not working. This cannot happen. This has to work, she has to know who he is. She doesn't know what to do, but maybe he just needs a little push. He's going to kick her out anyway, so what does it matter if he thinks she's crazy?

She stands up too, and tells him, "We're cursed, you don't remember it, but you're Robin Hood."

He looks at her curiously for a second, then his face screws up in confusion and he sinks back onto the couch, eyes open but not looking at anything. They squeeze shut and his hands fly to his temples, groaning in pain. It takes a few minutes, then he's blinking, before he looks at her with recognition.

This is the moment that crushes her dreams, she steels herself for it and then…

"Regina," he says reverently, in a way Locksley never had, and it is music to her ears. She doesn't have a chance to say anything, because he's up, grabbing her and kissing her passionately.

Sparks fly out and her shattered heart pieces back together as he kisses her. Somehow, some way, this is her Robin. She can feel it, kissing Locksley, kissing anyone else, never felt like this. There's this sense of rightness, of connection that she's never had with anyone but Robin. She melts into the kiss, pulling him tightly to her, never wanting to let him go. She revels in the feeling of him here, alive. She never wants to stop kissing him, doesn't think she will ever be able to stop touching him, feeling that he is here and real, but she also needs to know how this is possible. She searched for years before she gave up, and god, she shouldn't have. She's missed him so much.

They break apart, both breathing heavily, arms still wrapped around each other, neither wanting to have any space between them now that they've been reunited. One of them says I love you first and she's honestly not sure who because they say it over and over, a refrain between soft, intimate kisses, making her heart squeeze as she's enveloped by a tenderness she thought she'd never have again. Nothing has ever felt so right, even with everything that's going on. For the first time in a long time, she's free of the weight of that pit of grief, guilt and longing that took residence when he died for her.

She presses her face into his chest as she asks, "Robin, how did this happen?"

She feels so much, such relief and happiness, which vastly outweigh the twinge of guilt for not trying harder to get him back and the curiosity. She's never leaving his arms again.

She protests as he steps back and away, because they have spent too many years apart and she's not willing to spend another moment that way. But he's pulling her down onto the couch beside him, and soon she's back in his arms, sighing as she cuddles back up into his chest and listens to the sound of his heart beating.

He strokes her hair as he tells her, "That, my love, is a long story. But first, Robyn, is she… is she here?"

She shakes her head guiltily, should have been texting her niece as soon as she was woken up. Robin deserves to see his daughter, and for all Regina knows, she's still an ocean away. "She's on a trip to see the world, I hear from her every few weeks, but it's been a while. I'm so sorry, I should have…"

"No, my love, you shouldn't have done anything. I just wanted to know that she was okay. The last I saw Roland, he was in Storybrooke, so he should be free of this curse. Can we contact them, in Storybrooke?"

She shrugs, "I'm not sure, it's not on any map and it's protected." This is embarrassing to admit but, "I don't know any of their phone numbers."

She curses herself for being so reliant on technology, on contacts and not having to know people's numbers. The only one she knows is the mayor's office, and she'd called it the other night only to discover it was not in service. She's not sure if it changed, if that's the curse or Storybrooke protecting itself, but it makes for a problem.

"We'll figure something out."

She sighs, hoping he's right but not convinced, there are too many things working against them.

"As for how I got here," he continues, "unlike Killian, Zeus gave me a choice. He told me that returning me to the world at that time would change the future significantly and put our children at risk. Henry would die and Robyn's soulmate would never exist."

"What, how did he know that and why now?" She has so many questions, but she also can't stop staring at him and touching him, her hand running up and down his arm before he grabs her hand with his own. She's overwhelmed in the best of ways by how much she loves him, and how happy she is that he's here now.

"He showed me the future and how you would split yourself, which created the Wish Realm. If I came back right away, then you wouldn't have split yourself and Alice would never be wished into existence. I thought I could return after the wish happened, and in a way a part of me did, but that would have meant Henry's death and I couldn't allow that. You see, if I had been around, you wouldn't have followed Henry on his adventure and his heart would have been taken to wake Anastasia."

Regina is flabbergasted, she can't believe Robin gave up his life for her and then waited twenty years to come back to save her son. She always knew he was incredible but this is… wow. It's too much, and she doesn't deserve it, not at all, not with what she's done in her life, but her heart practically bursts with love for this extraordinary man. She doesn't notice the tear that falls down her face until Robin gently brushes it away.

"Don't cry, darling, we are together again, and our children are safe. They will be happy again soon."

She didn't think it was possible for her to feel anymore, but hearing him say 'our children' makes her ache with love, longing and regret. "But you lost so much time because of me, and I don't deserve it."

"Regina, love, that was my choice, I could have come back right away, but I didn't." He caresses her face as he tells her, "I'm here now, and I'm not leaving you."

His other hand is running up and down her back, gently soothing her. It strikes her that she should be the one comforting him, he was the one who lost all of that time to protect her son, and she loves him so much for it, but she can't stop the feelings of guilt, grief and loss. It's not fair that he had to give up so much. He's such a good man, he didn't deserve this. He's missed so much of Robyn's, of Roland's life, it's cruel and unfair. She doesn't even know how much of Roland's life he missed, the differences in the passage of time across realms messing everything up.

She looks up into Robin's eyes, those gorgeous blues that she loves so much, then she's kissing him, this time more intensely and with purpose. He is here now, and she can't keep talking, can't handle it—her soulmate is back and she is going to reclaim what is hers. She pulls herself on top of him, desperate to feel him again, and soon her only thoughts are of being with Robin, her mind and body flooded with him, with his scent, with the feel of him against her, his lips on her skin, hands on her body. They try to savour the moment but it's been far too long, and they need each other much too desperately. Within minutes, she is naked on top of him on the floor, his hands full of her breasts as she lines them up and sinks onto him, throwing her head back at the feeling of him, and how he fits within her perfectly. That delicious stretch amplifies the ache inside of her, and she starts moving greedily, soaking up every ounce of pleasure from the feel of his cock hitting that spot inside her as his hands and mouth rile her up even more.

She hadn't had a man inside her in years, swore off men because it was never going to be as good as with her soulmate, but this, this is so much better than she remembered. It's about the best damn thing she's ever felt as their lips connect and his one hand grips at her ass, urging her to go faster while the other wedges between them, providing friction where she needs it the most. They've barely started and she's already so so close. All the emotions of their reunion making it all that much more intense. She needs him desperately, is trembling, needy, whispers I love you in the space between them, before claiming his lips again as currents of pleasure run through her. She can't stop saying his name, that she loves him, and he's the same. Every pant of Regina and I love you brings her even closer to the edge. She almost doesn't want to fall over, because the feeling is so strong and addictive, she doesn't want it to end. But her body is thrumming, on edge, so close to falling over and the tension is nearly unbearable. She needs to come, the need more acute than it has ever been before.

Robin isn't far behind, is urging her on between words of affection, is telling her how much he's missed her like this, how hot it is to be with her again, how many times he has wished for this, how much he wants her, and begging her to come for him. She lights up under the praise, her body going aflame above his as she surrenders to the vast waves of pleasure that rock through her again and again. For how fast it comes, it's a surprisingly intense orgasm that has her crying out loudly, and she's shaking from the sheer force of it when Robin follows her over the edge.

She's still shaky when his lips meet hers as they cuddle together on the floor, his hands growing bold as he flips her over, showing her just how good he still is with his hands.

* * *

She wakes up the next morning naked in his bed, curled up against him, and lets out an mmm as she remembers their passion filled night. Something about him being back after so long had put both of them in frenzy, their bodies somehow able to go again and again, until they were both too exhausted to continue.

She watches him sleep, tempted to spend all day in bed with him. It's very tempting, him being back has made her insatiable, and she wants him again, but she knows she has to return to Hyperion Heights and reality to figure out how to break the curse without killing Henry. She reaches for her phone to text Robyn but it's not up here, is still with her bag in the front entry.

Robin stirs, waking up, and she moves away so he can stretch out, and so she can get her hormones in check. As soon as he finishes stretching, he pulls her back into his arms, placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

"G'morning, love, did you sleep okay?"

"Better than okay, that was the best sleep I've had in a long time," she says, a perfect echo of what he said to her after their other first time. He smiles down at her, clearly recognizing the words. He needs to be like this forever, smiley and lovesick. He's earned happiness after everything that's happened. She needs to ensure he sees his children again, needs to find out where they are, if Roland is even in this realm, and get them back here.

It reminds her of something else, and she asks hesitantly, "Robin, if you're back, does that mean Henry's safe then? Do you know what happens if the curse breaks?"

"No, my love, when Zeus gave me the choice, when he showed me the future, he told me that I would only remember things that happened before I returned. It was so I couldn't use what he told me to alter the timeline. If I had returned initially, I wouldn't have known any of this." Her face falls and so does his in response, which is not what she wants. She wants him to be happy, not to drag him down, because she is happy he's here, so happy.

He looks deeply into her eyes as he tells her, "I know you'll figure it out my love, or I wouldn't be here."

He's always had incredible faith in her, faith she hasn't earned and didn't appreciate like she should have. She's going to start now, is not going to take any moment or any piece of him for granted ever again.

"No," she says, "we will figure it out, together," before she pulls him into another heated embrace, determined to come together with him in as many ways as possible before they return to Hyperion Heights.


	2. Chapter 2

Regina was having one of the best weekends of her life, that is right up until Henry called to tell her Lucy was taken to the hospital. Fucking Belfry, she knows it's somehow her fault, and she wants to kill that woman. She won't, but damn does she ever want to. Her granddaughter's life is in danger because of that bitch, and she needs magic to help her. But magic means breaking the curse, and if she does that her son _will die_. It's an impossible situation. As always, just when something good happens to her, a disaster strikes. After twenty years apart she didn't even get twenty-four hours of bliss over Robin's return before Henry called.

As soon as he did, they knew what they had to do: get back to Hyperion Heights. Robin quickly packed up a few bags as she booked tickets (with his credit card) and off they went to the airport. She finally texted Robyn, something she should have done earlier, but was far too distracted by her father, asking where she is and when she's coming home. She doesn't want to alarm her, but also knows Robin is desperate to see his daughter, even cursed. He wants as much time as he can get with his children, and they spend their time at the gate trying to find Storybrooke residents on social media, the off chance Roland's still there, or they know where he is, but it's futile.

Though they are awake, only Drizella and Rumple are also awake that they know of, so they have to remain Roni and Archer. They only got to enjoy a brief period of being able to be their true selves, and now it's time to act their former parts. On the way over, they had decided it would be easier to just try and call each other Roni and Archer all the time, rather than Regina and Robin in private and risk being caught calling each other their real names. It's something she knows she's going to have trouble with because she finally has him back after so long and doesn't want to have to pretend he's someone else. She loves saying his name, loves hearing her name on his lips, but sacrifices have to be made and after what he did for their children everything is minor in comparison.

Robin's lucky because no one in Hyperion Heights has met Archer, so Robin is free to be more of himself. Regina though, she has to play a role, needs to still act like Roni, which poses quite the challenge. She still has all of Roni's cursed memories, but they feel fake now that she knows again how vibrant real memories are. It's not at all the same as when she didn't know who she was, and it's going to make being Roni again a challenge. Roni was harder than Regina, not that she doesn't have edge, she does, she was the Evil Queen for god's sake, but Roni was rough in ways she never was, was physically tougher, argumentative and a big drinker in a way that bordered on a drinking problem. Roni also liked to have a good time, let loose, get wild, and she held none of Regina's notions of propriety or her sense of decorum, as evidenced by that god awful Def Leppard tattoo she had removed a couple of months ago. Robin had asked her about it when he kissed down her back in one of many rounds, and she'd had to explain that scar was a remnant of a tramp stamp, then what a tramp stamp actually is. It was mortifying, but he was amused, and soon made her forget all about her embarrassment with hot, well placed kisses.

But he didn't forget the differences he'd noticed, and that's made obvious by how he starts to quiz her on Roni's life and how she's different as they take off. She knows it's important for him to know these things since he's coming back as Roni's boyfriend, but it still makes her skin crawl, especially when she realizes the state she left her apartment in. None of it is her, while she's never thought of herself as particularly uptight, she judges Roni, and knows Roni would have thought she had a stick up her ass and was extremely uptight.

Robin is very interested in learning more about Roni. He knows some of it from their mutual cursed memories, but it's hazy and grainy now that he's awake, a feeling she is well acquainted with but pushes past as she fills him in on the salient details. She knows part of why he's asking is to keep her occupied, to keep her mind off of the situation, but to her chagrin, he's also genuinely curious about her cursed persona.

She manages to divert the conversation away from that without getting caught up in the despair over what's happening to their family by piecing together their cover story. It takes some time to come up with something simple enough and still realistic. They decide to tell people they ran into each other months ago when he was in Seattle on business—which leads her to ask what the hell he was even doing, learning he was miserable as an assistant in a corporate job, which isn't shocking given that it goes against everything he stood for. It's only then he realizes he's made no plans for his work on Monday and buys an hour of the overpriced Wifi on the flight to fire off an email requesting an emergency leave, one that he plans on never returning from.

After that is taken care of, they go back to ironing out their story, decide they met up again when he was in Seattle, that they started talking again, then she took the trip out to New York to see if they could rekindle their relationship. It's a bit impulsive, leaving town on a whim to see if things will work out with a guy, then bringing him back to stay with you, but Roni was impulsive and reckless, so it's not totally out of character. She knows there will be questions from some people (mostly her employees since she doesn't really have any friends), but thankfully Roni, like Regina, kept her private life to herself. She was a bit of a loner, kept people at a distance, which made her so lonely, but makes things easier now. Plus, there's the very helpful fact that Roni would just tell someone to back off if they bothered her too much, if they pestered her with questions she didn't want to answer.

"So, love," Robin starts, turning to look at her as he asks his question, "What else is there to know about Roni?"

She groans internally, knowing she needs to tell him more about Roni's actual personality, how she spends her time, but it's just so embarrassing. Roni is not the woman he fell in love with, and she can't help but worry he will hate her cursed personality, since lord knows she kind of does.

At least Roni didn't have to deal with the knowledge that one wrong move could kill both her granddaughter and her son. She had problems sure, but nothing this overwhelming and awful. In some ways, she almost wishes she was still cursed and ignorant, thinks it would be easier, even though that's silly. She wouldn't have Robin if she was still cursed.

It's just, god, what are they going to do? How the hell can they save their family in a way that avoids that impossible choice? And how much time do they even have to save Lucy? What if something's happened? What if she's already too late?

She ramping herself up and feels a soothing hand clench on hers, grounding her. "I'm sorry," she breathes and tries to pull herself out, to slow down the panic that's threatening to take hold. "I just… I can't focus right now, I'm so worried about Lucy."

He rubs his hand up and down her arm soothingly, and she leans into his touch, to the comfort. "It's going to be okay, love. I _know_ it will be, we will find a way to save Lucy."

He presses a soft peck to her forehead, and miraculously, she feels some of the tension melt away. She'd forgotten how good he is at this, how just having him with her can make the worst situations seem less bleak, so much so that she almost believes him when he says, "You always find a way, this time will be no different."

It's sweet, his faith in her is reassuring, and she wishes she could have that faith that it will all work out, but life has never really turned out that way for her. Staying positive has never been her strong suit, she always relied on her friends and family for that.

He presses a soft kiss to her cheek, then another, going lower until he hits her jaw, and it's nice, so nice. Somehow, even with everything that's going on, she can't wait to be alone with him again. Since he returned, it's like her hormones are on steroids, every time he touches her, even the most innocent of touches, he sets her aflame. She pulls him in for what's supposed to be a quick peck, but they are rather addicted to each other so it heats up, quickly becoming inappropriate given that they are on an airplane and not alone. It's a red eye and everyone around them appears to be sleeping, but that doesn't change the fact that this is not the time, no matter how much she needs him.

She breaks the kiss breathless and winks at him, "There will be more of that later."

He smirks, "Mm, can't wait, love."

"Me either," she whispers, unashamed of how badly she wants him. The guy in the window seat beside them is out cold, so she takes a chance on telling him just how much she does, "As soon as we get home I'm going to…" then she stops, gasping as she realizes, "True love's kiss!"

Robin looks confused, rightfully so, and asks, "What?" as her brain reels.

"True love's kiss can break any curse… maybe it can help Lucy, if Henry believes, then just maybe he can wake her up."

Robin smiles, "See, I told you, you would figure it out."

"I just... I don't know if that would also break the actual curse." That cannot happen, not yet. She knows Henry would choose Lucy's life over his, would be furious with her if he survived and she didn't, but she doesn't want to have to make that choice.

Robin's eyes narrow and his face falls as he asks, "When Emma woke Henry up she also broke the curse, didn't she?"

"Yeah," she looks and sees the _oh shit_ look cross his face before he covers it, a move she knows is for her benefit. God, she loves him so much, loves that he does his best to keep positive for her. If he can do that with his children who are god knows where, she has to try, too.

She takes a breath, then thinks it out, "Drizella says it's Henry and Jacinda, but what if she's wrong, what if any true love's kiss would break the curse?"

Fuck, fuck. They really cannot catch a break, because, "What if we accidentally break the curse?"

She cannot be expected to keep her lips off of his now that's she got him back. Life can't be this cruel, it can't be that she endangers her son if she kisses her soulmate in Hyperion Heights (it totally can, it's what she deserves after all of her former sins, but god, what torture.)

Robin must see the subtle clues she's working herself up into a bit of a panic again because he quickly reassures her as one arm comes around her shoulders pulling her in close, "Snow and Charming kissed during all the curses, and they didn't break any one of them, so it can't be just any true loves kiss that breaks it. There has to be something more."

He's right, and she almost gets caught up in thinking through that, but he's still talking, "But if you are really worried, I won't kiss you. It will be one of the hardest things I'll ever have to do, will take all of my strength to resist the temptation, but I'll do it."

She laughs aloud at that, his statement having the desired effect. She misses this so much, how he just gets her, even before he really knew her he was always able to pull her from the darkness and make her laugh. "You're right, it's always been Henry, and why would this time be any different? I would like to talk to Rumple, to see if I can get him to admit he's awake, and see if he can shed any light on this."

Robin's hand is spiralling on her arm, and it should not be turning her on, but it is. She changes her tone, dropping her voice teasingly, "It's a good thing we don't have to test our self control, because I don't think I'd be able to handle having you here without being able to satisfy my desires."

"I'm sure we would have managed, had some fun without kissing." That puts images in her head that are not at all helpful. She doesn't understand how she's able to flip so quickly from near despair to wanton and needy, but it's a welcome distraction, one she's going to exploit, because feeling like this is far better than the alternative.

He keeps going, his hot breath in her ear as he whispers, "Now tell me love, do you think it's just a kiss on the lips that would count, or would I have been unable to kiss down your neck, those gorgeous breasts? Would I have been able to lick you, suck on you, take my place between your thighs and suck until—"

" _Robin_ ," she hisses, yes, they think people are sleeping, but what if someone hears this, she'd die of mortification. Plus, she can feel the flush in her cheeks from how badly she needs it, and this is not helping, not now when there is nothing they can do about it.

"Don't you mean Archer?" he asks her, grinning.

She shoots him a glare, though he's not wrong. "You know what I mean, and you need to stop that."

"But aren't you enjoying it, love?"

Far too much, and he knows it, she knows he does. She is well acquainted with that saucy grin on his face. "Not when we can't do anything about it."

He looks far too pleased with himself as he asks her, "Mm, are you wet, love?"

She doesn't answer him, knows it will only encourage him and he takes her non-answer as the affirmation it is.

"Fine," he sighs dramatically, "I'll be good, but this isn't over yet, it's barely begun."

That just makes her clench and god, how is she supposed to make it through another hour on this flight? This is better than feeling shitty, so she leans in and kisses him softly, enjoying him in a way she can.

* * *

Regina leads him up into an apartment just above the bar, a place he's going to want a tour of later. Her apartment is tiny, with cheap Ikea furniture and band posters up on the walls that don't quite cover the cracking paint. It's a mess, with dishes out on the coffee table and a floor that desperately needs to be washed. It's the most un-Regina place he has ever seen.

She cringes when she sees him looking around, "Sorry, I, uh, didn't really have time to clean this place up once I woke up. I know it's _terrible_."

He can't help but laugh at her red cheeks because only Regina would be ashamed of her cursed personality, and he can't help but rib her just a little, "I didn't realize Roni was so… easygoing."

Regina groans, "Can we just not? Maybe you should stay in a hotel and I can—"

"Don't be silly, love, there's nothing wrong with this place, and you are adorable when you're embarrassed." She blushes harder when he compliments her, but he can tell she's still a bit uncomfortable. "Listen, if you really want me to I will, but now that I'm back, I don't want to spend a minute away from you."

Her face softens at his words, and he's struck by how gorgeous she is, a feeling that pops as she admits, "I just don't want you to think less of me."

How she could ever think that was even a possibility is beyond him. He loves her so much, knows her better than anyone—and he can say that because though he missed a bunch of time, that time was spent watching his family, and mostly her.

He uses his hand to guide her eyes up to meet his as he tells her, "Regina, I love _you_. Nothing is ever going to change that, especially not some silly posters and a shitty apartment. You were cursed to be a broke bartender, I wasn't expecting the Four Seasons."

He spent two decades without her, waiting to be reunited, he doesn't give a shit where they are, as long as they are together.

She kisses him softly, smiling, "I love you too, darling." He can't help but grin, knowing she picked that up from him, it's a grin that grows as she comments, "but we both need to work on this Roni and Archer thing."

"Mmm, you are quite right, _Roni_." She smirks a little at that, and god, she's so beautiful, and he is so lucky to have her back, to be able to flirt with her again. "What can I do to make it up to you?"

He starts peppering kisses down her neck, relishing in the low moan it draws from her.

" _Mmm_ that's nice, but _Oh_ … we should go check on Lucy first."

He tries not to show his disappointment because obviously their family comes first, always has, and he does want to meet the new members of it. He is going to need a minute to cool down though, just being in her presence finally, after all these years, has him hot and bothered. He's insatiable, and can't seem to keep his mind out of the gutter or his hormones in check. In his defence, he spent many many years with just his hand, and he had wanted her so badly on the flight. It's like he's addicted to her, like a switch has been turned back on and he's ravenous, desperate to make up for their years of separation. He cannot get enough of her, but they have real-life problems to deal with.

Part of it may be because he's not ready to embrace all of those real-life problems just yet. He misses the bubble of his New York apartment, those rare moments of peace where they were able to just be together, something they almost never had in their time together before.

God, she's just so sexy, he's really into this new look of hers, the jeans that hug her rear incredibly, the band shirts, leather jacket and the curls that make her look like a total badass. She may not like how rockin' Roni was, but he lights up for it.

But they need to get on to real life, and staring at her isn't helping him get his hormones in check. "I'm just going to grab a glass of water first."

He throws a, "Do you want one?" over his shoulder as he walks toward the fridge.

"No, I'm alright. I'm just going to put my bag away, then we can go."

He opens the fridge and to his surprise, the only things in it are a half-full bottle of vodka, a take out container with who knows what in it, a carton of milk, and two limes that he suspects are for the bottle of tequila on the counter.

He opens the cupboards, searching for a glass, and finds some coffee, sugar, a couple cans of soup and a box of mac and cheese, which appears to be all of the food at Roni's, and that surprises him more than anything.

Regina comes out as he's pouring water into his cup and warns him, "The water here has a funny taste."

And she's right, he grimaces a little and asks, "Do you have a filter or container to at least distill some?"

She laughs ruefully, "You saw the cupboards, what do you think?"

He's glad she's taking this in stride now so he doesn't feel bad commenting, "I think we should get some groceries on our way back, lest we get stuck with having mac and cheese."

"Ugh, yes, I know the food I bought as Roni is just horrendous. I don't know how I survived eating only that junk."

He checks her out unnecessarily before he tells her, "Well, I can tell you you've only gotten sexier, so it couldn't have been that bad."

She gives him a playful shove, "Flatterer," before returning to the entry to put her boots back on. He stares unabashedly as she bends to do so, and he should get a grip, but he's rather enjoying this horny teenager state he's found himself in.

They walk hand in hand to the hospital, and just that feels amazing, to be able to walk around with his love, something he could only dream of for so long. He will never take any little moment or gesture of affection for granted again. When they get to the floor he lets her go ahead, in part so he can admire the view. He loved Regina's tight but tasteful dresses and suits, but he is also very much a fan of Roni's tight jeans. Her ass looks fucking fantastic in them, is tempting him into giving it a firm squeeze, but now is definitely not the time for that.

He has a feeling that witnessing the reality of what's happened is going to pull him out of his lustful haze, so he lets himself enjoy these last moments as she walks hastily toward Lucy's room. He hangs back a bit because Archer hasn't met any of these people, and he doesn't want to intrude on a private moment. It gives him the added bonus of watching Regina walk ahead of him, her hips swaying deliciously. She's so effortlessly sexy, he knows she's not trying to be, knows that's the farthest thing from her mind right now, but it only makes it better, and of course highly inappropriate because they are in a hospital where their family is suffering.

He's never actually met Lucy and Ella, but he feels like he knows them from his time watching them—which now that he thinks of it sounds quite creepy, but hopefully, they won't see it like that.

Regina must catch Henry's eye because he comes out to greet her. He's struck by how grown-up Henry is. He's watched him like this, but seeing it in the flesh is something else. It takes him aback in a way he didn't expect and makes him aware of just how much time he missed. Somehow Regina hasn't really aged, so it's easier to feel like he didn't miss much, but he did. His daughter is twenty, Roland is almost twenty-five and Henry's in his mid-thirties. He's not even sure what age he technically is now, given most of it was spent on Mount Olympus, not living. His heart aches at the thought, over all the things he's missed, the time he can't get back, but he pushes it away because he's here now, has been granted a second chance he won't waste feeling sad about the time he missed.

Regina and Henry are talking quietly, but he's close enough he can hear the conversation.

"Hey, how are you? How's Lucy?" He can tell Regina is fighting to keep calm and collected, to not show how invested she is.

"She's stable but not getting any better. For me, there's nothing I can do to help so there's that."

His heart breaks for both Henry and Regina, this is such a difficult situation, but she navigates it like a pro, telling him, "Hey, don't give up. Lucy needs you right now, she needs your help, even if she can't ask for it. I may not have known you long, but I can tell, you're a believer, Henry, even if you don't know it. Just like Lucy."

"Yeah, well, I mean… I don't know if that's true. I even, and this is going to sound crazy, but I even for a second thought what if it's true, what if she is my daughter, and the book is real? So I kissed her because of true love's kiss, but it was stupid."

And shit, he already tried it and it didn't work. He can see the panic and sorrow flicker in Regina's eyes for a second before she steels her face and tells Henry, "Well, you are here and they need you, so you are doing what you can."

Henry hugs her and tells her something he thinks is _thank you_ before returning to Lucy's room.

When Henry's out of eyesight, Regina's face falls and he can't bear it, hates how upset she is and that he can't fix it. This isn't at all how he imagined coming back, but they've always made their way through the challenges and this time will be no different. "I'm so sorry, love. This must be so hard for you, being so close to him but not being to comfort him."

"It is," she says, her tone defeated, and they can't have that.

"We're going to figure this out, darling, we will. First, let's find out why true love's kiss didn't work, and then maybe we can fix it."

She sighs, as she tells him, "True love's kiss only works if both parties believe, and Victoria must have finally succeeded in taking Lucy's belief."

That's not good. "Okay… so how do we get it back?"

"I don't think we can, not while she's asleep."

No, that can't be it, they must be able to do _something._ "So, then what do we do?"

Her eyes well up, and he knows what she's going to say before she even starts, "To save Lucy, I need to break the curse, which means Henry dies. And I know that's what he would want me to do, but…" her voice breaks off as she suppresses a sob, a single tear falling down her face that he wipes away.

"Look at me," she does, those beautiful, have seen far too much pain in their lifetime, eyes lock on his as he tries to lift her spirits. "Nobody is dying, you hear me? I'm here, and that means our children are safe," and it better or he's going to do his damndest to kill Zeus the next time he's up there. "We are going to find a way to fix this, without sacrificing Henry. We will find a third way, it might take a little time, but we will find a way to save _them both_. Then we will cure Henry and break the curse."

"You're right, we can't give up that easy. There is another way, and we will find it," she says with conviction, and he would worry she was just humouring him but her tears have subsided and she looks calmer.

"So, what now?"

"We need to talk to Rumple, but it's late and he won't take my calls. He's still pretending he's asleep, so it will have to wait until tomorrow, when I can corner him at the station."

"Alright, so should we go get some groceries then, have some dinner, figure out what's next?"

"No," she says surprising him, "We are going to go home, and you are going to do all those things you promised, until I forget how shitty today was."

And that, well, that he can do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the exceedingly long delay in updating this fic, I was focused on others but got back into it for Realms Week and plan to finish it up before I go back to the others**

* * *

She's savouring the sweet ache, an incredible sensation, as Robin crooks his fingers just so, sending flashes of heat through her middle as he thrusts again and again into that spot with the perfect amount of pressure. He's down right magic with his fingers, those nimble archer's fingers that can have her seeing stars in moments. She's well on her way to her fourth orgasm of the night as Robin attempts (and is succeeding) at overloading her body with bliss so there's no room in her mind to brood over how awful their situation is.

He'd gone down on her first, licked and sucked and swirled his tongue against her, pushing her from one peak into another, before he'd sunk into her, undoing them both with a steady, measured pace and languid kisses. She'd come with her legs locked around his waist, arms around his neck, and his mouth on hers, swallowing the sounds of the rapture he was bestowing on her. He switched it up after, hoisting her one leg over his shoulder, the other joining it soon after, as he took her with a firm, quick pace that had them both climbing the walls. He'd tried to hold out for her, but he'd already been waiting so long, and she'd urged him on, knowing he would finish her well after.

And that he is. He's sending pleasure pulsing through her with each curl of his fingers inside her, slow and deep as his thumb circles on her clit. The feeling is unreal, her body starting to curl in on itself under the onslaught of intense sensation.

She's babbling, broken encouragements punctuated with gasps and moans as she rises closer and closer. Her eyes are closed, but she opens them and finds him watching her, his pupils blown with lust, staring at how she's coming apart under his attentions.

When their eyes meet, he breathes a reverent, "Beautiful," that makes her heart swell, the pure love she feels for him momentarily distracting her from the edge she's riding.

"Come for me, love," he pants in a way that makes her even hotter. God, this feels incredible, he's incredible. She's so lucky to have him, to have this, someone who knows her body and heart this well. Someone who took the time to get to know her body, who wants to give her pleasure just for the sake of it, who genuinely enjoys bringing her up for its own sake, regardless of whether there is something in return.

They have years to make up for and he's doing a hell of a job. Everything inside is tight and twisting, revving up for an orgasm that's going to be unreal, given how fucking good she feels already.

His other hand reaches up and tugs her nipple firmly, adding to the hot coil inside, winding tighter as the delectable sensations have her eyes rolling back into her head as her hips jerk.

He has to bring that hand back down to hold her in place for him as her hips roll involuntarily and she gets twitchy. Fuck, god, she needs to come, is almost there, but this is amazing, so amazing.

She's nearly delirious with pleasure as he begs, "I want to see your face when you come apart for me. Show me how good I'm making you feel."

She moans at that last one, god, she is, she's going to, she's…fuck!

She falls off the edge with a startled cry as it explodes through her, her vision going white as he stops her body from thrashing too much so he can draw out the ecstasy that's flooding through her. It's delicious and intense, has her unable to do anything but feel, and feel she does, so much satisfying relief she can barely breathe.

"Keep going," she somehow manages to breathe out when his fingers still inside her, still riding out the high, wanting him to draw it out even longer, let her stay like this, trembling and filled with bliss.

"You tell me when," he whispers, and god, she will, but that's not now. She's somehow still coming, the intensity has eased but release is still ebbing through her, the hot waves only waning slightly as the seconds pass.

When it eventually crests off, creeping into uncomfortable territory, she says, "When," opening her eyes to find him grinning smugly at her, a look he's earned.

She can't feel her body at all, is so relaxed she doesn't feel the weight of a single part of it. She's lightheaded, tingly and breathless, panting as she tries to slow her breathing back to normal.

He shifts up her body, pressing a soft kiss to her lips as she struggles to catch her breath, and he lays down beside her, getting under the covers and urging her to join him. He pulls her in close, his hands lazily rubbing up and down her arms in a way that makes her shiver pleasantly.

"Wow…" she breathes, still overcome by how absolutely mindblowing that was. "That was… wow. Amazing. _Fuck_."

He presses another soft peck to her lips, then agrees, "Yes, it was. You were amazing. Fuck love, that last one, I wasn't sure it was ever going to end."

She nods and chuckles softly, because she too felt that. She wouldn't have complained if it didn't, can't think of anything better than staying that way forever, all blissed out and content.

"I'm still all lightheaded… tingly, can't feel… only good."

He beams at that, "Good, you deserve it."

"God, fuck, you deserve, god, I don't even know, a nobel prize or something for that."

He laughs at her, which is fine, her brain is still very sex-addled, and that's all his doing. This was exactly what she needed, to get out of her head for a while, to let herself feel good, and not get caught up in the horrible situation they might not be able to do anything about.

If she's going to figure out anything, she needs a clear head, something she learned thanks to Robin in Camelot. He'd shown her how much easier it was to find a solution when you actually took yourself away from it for a while, let your brain focus on something else. It was in the hours or days after the massages, picnics, orgasms and deep sleeps, that a breakthrough would come to her.

She's of no use when she's all flustered and panicking, unable to focus on anything but the worst scenario. She always does figure something out, but it's much easier when she allows herself some time away, a break from it all.

She's really hoping this one will be as productive as all those ones in Camelot, but even if it's not, it has at least gotten her out of the negative spiral of what ifs and possible futures she'd started sliding into after she saw Henry. She will not let herself get pulled under by that, has to be stronger than that so she can plan her next move.

She has no idea what that will be, but with Robin's breath washing over her as his hands stroke lightly over her skin, it almost doesn't matter. She feels as close to settled as she can be with what's happened, and that feeling is most conducive to finding a solution.

She's not thinking too hard, so doesn't mind at all when Robin interrupts her train of thought to ask, "Has a couple ever broken a curse before?"

She chews at her lip as she ponders that, because no, they haven't, wondering if he's already come to the same conclusion his question sparked for her. "No, and it can't just be the not knowing your true self because Snow and David kissed plenty under the second curse with no effect…"

"As did we," he says teasingly, and while that's true…

"Yes, but we weren't in love."

" _Yet._ I was close, I was enamoured with you from the moment we met, and in the Enchanted Forest as well, even with you making fun of me at every turn."

She wasn't the kindest to him then, and she still doesn't really understand how he managed to stay interested given the venom she spewed at him and how miserable she was. No one wanted to be around her, she didn't even want to be, no one but him, and how did she repay him? With harsh barbs and low blows.

"Makes me wonder if you even have standards," she teases dryly, and he whaps her arm playfully.

"I know what pain does to someone. You were struggling, and I've never been very good at sitting idly by when someone's clearly in pain, even when they'd prefer I leave them alone."

"You and Roland, you'd make me forget for a few moments, then I'd feel terribly guilty because what kind of a mother was I to enjoy anything without Henry? So I pushed you away, was mean, but you kept coming back."

He goes to speak, probably an unnecessary apology, but she's not done, "I needed those moments, I just couldn't accept that then, so thank you."

His eyes go soft and teasing, mouth turning up playfully. "You know, for a while my men were convinced one day you would snap and murder me, but I knew better."

"I did consider it," she deadpans, snickering at the wounded puppy dog expression he shoots her in response.

"But my good looks stopped you. I see how it is."

She laughs outright at that, "Yeah, that was it."

"Admit it, you've always found me charming and irresistible."

There is some truth to that, and while she's having fun with this, she's also so soft for him, has this need to tell him, "I did. I've never been able to resist those dimples." Her hand traces his face, feeling his rough skin and stubble under her fingertips, "You are a gorgeous man, Robin Locksley, inside and out."

He's beaming as she leans in and claims his lips for a soft, sweet peck.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" he asks when they break apart, and the corners of her lips turn up.

"Only about a hundred times, but it's not enough."

"I'm never going to stop telling you, just so you know." She's more than fine with that. "I've loved you for over two decades. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and in some ways that's true. I love you even more now than I did before, which I didn't know was possible. I knew you were my future, just didn't know how far in the future that would be."

She swallows heavily at that, the reminder of what came next, of his untimely demise that was all her fault, the moment she's replayed over and over again in her head, all of the times she'd dwelled on how things could have been different if she'd just…

It reminds her of all the time spent without him, all the time they've lost, and she doesn't want to dwell on that, doesn't want to spend the time they've been given mourning losses of the past.

Instead she offers affection of her own, things he ought to know, things she needs to keep telling him now that she can, "I love you, so much. I can't even express the depth of it. I've never had a love like this before, someone who accepts all sides of me, who knows the atrocities I've committed and is still here. You are far too good for me, and I love you for it."

He shakes his head at her, "Nonsense. If anything, you are too good for me."

She lets out an incredulous sound, almost like a snort because, "You cannot be serious! I was the Evil Queen, I—"

"You have a past, we both do, and you've spent so much time making yourself into a better person. You put in the work and you changed. You didn't take the easy way out, and you don't give yourself enough credit."

"But I'm—"

"No buts! I love you, and I won't stand for anyone, _even you_ , speaking ill of you."

She could keep arguing but she won't, even though he's wrong. It's not that she doesn't believe she changed, she knows she has, she also knows there is no amount of penance that makes up for what she did. No amount of good deeds will bring back the people she killed, the lives she ruined, she just has to live with it. She accepts that.

She clears her throat, "Um, back to before," he shakes his head at her but it's playful enough she doesn't feel bad continuing to change the subject. "We got a little off track, but you were onto something. At first, during that second curse, we thought it was only Henry and Emma because of the saviour thing, and that that explained why true love's kiss from others didn't break the curse. But then it was Henry and me… It's always been parent-child, never lovers."

"There is nothing more pure than the love of a parent."

"Which if I'm right, means Jacinda and Henry aren't the concern. It would be Henry and Lucy."

"But didn't he already…"

She nods, stretching subtly before adjusting herself in his arms, her hand aimlessly playing with the hair smattered across his chest. "Yes, but she doesn't believe anymore, and he wasn't awake. _That's_ the problem we need to sort out. I think in order to break the curse Henry has to be awake."

"And if it's not Lucy, then perhaps you. It's always been Henry, we have no reason to think it won't be again, it's just there is another prospect here."

He could be right except, "I helped cast the curse though."

"As you did the second one, and you still broke it."

That is true, but that was also different, it was her magic, sure, but Snow's sacrifice, she was merely the castor, it wasn't truly her spell. Mind you, neither was this, here she was more an ingredient than anything, so maybe. "It's a possibility. At least now I don't have to actually scheme against Henry and Jacinda, I can just let it happen."

"And in the meantime we figure out how to wake Henry and…" he stops when he sees her face, it must have gone stricken with the thought that crossed her mind.

"I just… if he wakes up, the touch of magic… I worry."

Even with her stuttering he seems to get what she means, "Okay, so we cure Henry first, then wake him up."

That's not quite right either, "No, first we save Lucy, then we cure Henry, then break the curse."

All impossible feats without magic, but dammit they have to try. They have to do something. She won't just sit idly by and wait as her granddaughter sits in a coma. If there's an answer, she's going to find it. She has no idea where to start, and she has a fucking bar to run, but in the downtime she's going to figure this out, she has to.

"How can I help?" he asks, pressing a kiss to her brow as his hand glides through her hair and against her scalp in a way that's so soothing she gets him to do it again.

"What you are doing now is great. The support, the stress relief, having someone to bounce ideas with, it all helps immensely."

"That I can do," he promises in a low voice as he continues massaging her head. Soon, she's practically purring her contentment, lying back against him, sleep starting to pull at her.

She's startled out of that state when her phone buzzes on the nightstand. She wouldn't grab it, except that it's the long staccato vibration she set specifically for Robyn.

She reaches for it, jabbing Robin in the arm and rousing him so she can read it aloud to him,

"It's from Robyn. 'Funny that you should ask, I was actually thinking of going home, but Mom's furious with me. Maybe I could come crash with you for a bit?'"

The look of elation on Robin's face is not one she'll be forgetting. She types out a quick response encouraging her to come, that she'd love to have her, and she is absolutely delighted when Robyn says she'll look into it and that she, too, is excited.

"I'm going to meet my daughter," Robin breathes with so much weighted relief it makes her heart squeeze.

She can't help but wonder, "We haven't… are you… Zelena raised her, does that…" she struggles to find the right word, and doesn't really want to have this conversation, but they need to, "upset you?"

She tenses as she waits, her buzz from before effectively killed by the path she's taken them down. A state that's not all helped when he sighs beside her.

"It's… complicated. It's not what I would have wanted, but I watched, I saw her do better. I know that she loved Robyn and Robyn loved her. At the end of the day, she was happy and accepted, that's all I needed."

"But what would you have wanted?"

"Well, for starters, for John and the bloody Merry Men to not leave, or at least to come back…"

His anger there is misdirected because, "They were in danger and that was their home, I should have—"

"Storybrooke was their home, was safer. Thank god nothing ever happened to Roland, but there were some scares with him and the men that made me wish they'd gone back to modern medicine. I may have bemoaned some of the aspects of Storybrooke while I was there, but make no mistake, I knew it was far better than the alternative. You don't leave a place that can cure most illnesses and go back somewhere where those same things would be death sentences. It's foolish and irresponsible. The Queen did what she could once they moved into the castle, but there were still too many close calls."

Well, it seems her spilt did some good after all. She knew the Queen was with Robin's men from the last time she saw her doppleganger. She'd used it as a flimsy excuse to stay away, because she couldn't bear the thought of seeing them, mostly Roland, knowing that it was her fault they were missing a friend, a leader, a father. It hurt too much to know what she'd cost them and she couldn't bear the thought of seeing it. "And Roland, you…"

Her voice starts to catch and dammit, she needs to be stronger than this, can't keep falling to pieces in difficult situations or conversations. She's Regina Mills, she can handle things better than this.

"Love, I'm not mad," she almost doesn't believe him but his eyes are on hers, pleading and unyielding. "Things would have been different if I'd been alive. I still wanted you in Roland's life, but I know _why_ you stayed away."

That is what pulls her over the edge, has her muffling a sob into his chest because how can he be okay with that? And why did he have to die? Yes, he's back now, but he missed so much and they could have had such a good life. It's unfair and wrong and yet again all her fault. She can't help but think his life would have been better and easier if he never met her, Roland's certainly would have. It's a thought she won't voice, and it's complicated by her niece, who she wouldn't trade for the world. Robyn had asked her once, tearfully after she'd learned the truth of her parentage, if she wished that she'd never been born, and she'd assured her niece that she would never ever want that, that it was complicated but her life was so much better having Robyn in it.

It's all a mess, she can't imagine changing things, just wishes she could have had it all. She feels guilty over abandoning Roland and not being there more for her niece. She really was doing the best she could, as she struggled with the magnitude of grief over losing him, but it wasn't enough, she should have been better, he would have been.

"I just, I couldn't…" she finally manages to stutter out, and she feels Robin's nod though she can't see it with her face still buried in his chest.

"You were hurting, and you blamed yourself. But they never saw it that way, and maybe if there hadn't been your doppelganger things would have been different. Roland got a Regina in his life, and at first he was too young to understand there were two of you."

That makes her think of another complication. "And what about the other Robin, did he…?"

"Not for a while, and it was confusing for both of them at first, but now he's sort of like an uncle to Roland."

By extension her, or well, the other version of her, would be Aunt Regina, just like with his daughter.

It's as if he knows what she's thinking, which is crazy, but he remarks, "I wanted you to be their mother. But that was in a life where I was around to be their father, where we would have been a family. We didn't get that. With what happened, I'm happy you had such a presence in Robyn's life, and the other you in Roland's. It wasn't ideal, but neither was my dying, that really threw a wrench in things."

She lets out a half laugh, half sob, because yes, yes it did. "I just feel like I failed them, less so Robyn, but I wish I didn't kick Zelena out, that I could have been there for more of the moments. I didn't watch her like we planned. By some miracle it worked out, but it could have been…"

"You were the one who had faith in her, and you were proven right. Having Robyn changed her, just like Henry did for you. She had you, that's what's important."

"But Roland—"

"He sort of did and I know why. It killed me to see you suffer and blame yourself that way, but I also saw you checking in on him. You may not have showed him how much you loved him, but I saw it, and I knew you were hurting too much to do anything more."

She did, she would use her mirror to check on Roland, but it's not what he thinks at all. She used it to assuage her guilt, to assure herself he was okay, it was the coward's way out, she shouldn't be lauded for it.

"That's not—"

"Stop. It wasn't all you. The men left, they never came back, things would have been different if they hadn't left. Can you honestly tell me you wouldn't have been more involved if they stayed in Storybrooke?"

He may be placing too much faith in her, but it was easier to justify her staying away because they were off in a different realm.

He goes on, "What matters is that we are here now and this is true. My daughter is coming back and once we've worked out this curse we'll go find Roland and we can all be a family again, just like how it was supposed to be."

They didn't actually have any time as a family because of the constant disasters. They had left Robyn and Roland days after her birth on that ill-conceived mission to the Underworld that never should have happened. Then everything fell apart, their family was shattered, and now there's a distance she's not sure they can ever fully recover from. Robyn and Roland have lived completely separate lives, whatever curiosity they may have had about each other doesn't negate all of that time spent apart.

This is just another reason they need magic, once they have it they can find Roland, but until then there's nothing they can do about that.

She feels him yawn and hers soon echoes his, her body suddenly realizing how exhausted it is. "Let's try and get some sleep, Robin. Thank you for everything, you're… I'm just so happy you're back. I love you."

"I love you too, darling."

* * *

Just like her apartment, the actual bar _Roni's_ is an interesting establishment. He finds it fascinating how the curse twists and modifies things, blending in aspects of their former lives and wants that aren't understood until you wake up.

In _Roni's_ it's all the arrow decor. Regina had explained to him that morning after a cheeky comment about it that Roni had been drawn to arrows without really understanding it, that she had hazy memories of picking out all of the arrows as a part of her bar's decor to be niche and different.

It's all fake, of course, but the arrows are for him, they both know that. An unconscious homage to a lost love she didn't know existed at the time.

He feels at home here already, like he belongs, like he was always meant to end up here. He's learning from her how to work the bar, since she can't very well abandon her establishment and he doesn't want to spend a second apart that they don't have to.

She has a variety of beer he's trying to memorize, indulging in a small pour of each to "test them out" so he can better recommend them. It's a ruse that probably would be more convincing if he actually knew the names of them, but she'd humoured him anyway.

He's basically just writing down orders and having her make them unless it's something obvious like a rum and coke that even he can figure out. He's done enough drinking in his day to know some things, but he never explored the full array of alcoholic beverages the land without magic had, so he is having to play catch up. He never thought drinking less would be something he'd regret, or at least not branching out from his usual, but here they are. He's trying now, but carefully so as to not get himself sloshed, he's here to learn and work, he doesn't want that clouded by imbibing too much.

He is doing one thing too much though, checking out Regina, err, Roni (he's bloody terrible at remembering to call her by the right name, and to respond to Archer, so bad that she gave up this morning and decided he gets to be Robin again). He can't help getting distracted though, she's in tight jeans, a black buttoned shirt that's open, and underneath is a skin-tight black t-shirt printed with some image he can't make out. He could pretend he's been trying to figure out what was on her undershirt, but that's a lie, he's just very into this new look of hers, and especially the curls. He never knew her hair could be so wild and sexy. It had always been perfectly done in Storybrooke, and he'd never imagined that that was something she put effort into, had just assumed that's what it looked like. He cannot understand why she didn't just keep it like this before, but apparently, it would be unprofessional for the mayor. He fails to see how that's the case, but also knows he's a man of the forest who will never be able to fully understand fashion and styles, will defer to her considerable expertise.

He's finishing pouring a pint when he hears the door open. He turns to greet the new customer (Regina is off in the corner taking an elderly couple's order) and almost drops the pint when he sees Gothel. He only saw her a few times, while watching Regina and his daughter, but they were enough to leave an impression. This is the woman who tried to murder his daughter, who's fault it is that they are cursed here. She's up to god knows what, and fuck, if he were smart he would have spent his time watching her, figuring out what her angle was. Then he could have actually been of use.

She sits down at the bar, paying him no mind, she doesn't know him, and he uses it to his advantage, plays dumb as he offers to get her a drink, asking how her day is when she refuses.

She's staring at Regina, so he asks, "What do you need Roni for?"

"To ask her something."

This isn't going as well as he'd hoped, but Regina's on her way over now and he sees the moment she notices Gothel.

"What do you want?" Regina hisses as soon as she's near.

"As you may already know, Anastasia is awake."

He doesn't know who that is but thinks that he should, the name is familiar, but he can't quite place it.

"Something you surely had your hand in."

Gothel just smirks, "She has magic, she can help Lucy, if you let her."

Regina arches a brow, "Let her?"

Gothel turns to him, "And who are you?"

"Robin of Locksley. Robyn Mills' father."

She studies him thoughtfully. "Back from the dead. Pity, you wasted it on the wrong person, Regina. Now you'll have to do as I say if you want your granddaughter to live."

Regina's eyes flash, but she keeps the emotion out of her voice. "Why would I ever trust you?"

"It's not as if you have a choice, and you'd join my coven of course. The eighth spot was always meant for you. There's no other witch of your caliber to fill the opening."

That sends a shiver down his spine, remembering the lengths Gothel went to get Regina to contribute to the curse, what she is willing to do to get what she wants. This is not someone they want to cross, but also not someone they want to be involved with.

"How exactly would you wake Lucy?"

Not for the first time he marvels over how smart she is, how quick she's able to respond, that she's getting more information without committing either way.

"I wouldn't, you would."

That catches both of their attention. Is Gothel offering magic? If so, how can they refuse?

"How?"

The answer makes absolutely no sense to him, but Regina nods when Gothel says _the necklace_ , and he trusts she'll explain it later.

"You'll want to get that to me sooner rather than later, who knows how long Lucy's condition will stay stable."

With that she slips off the stool and strides out, leaving them both shocked by the thinly veiled threat.

Regina's clearly shaken, and he feels bad for pushing her, but he knows it's important they start looking for this necklace and he has no idea what he's actually looking for. She's about to have an after work rush to deal with so quickly explains what it looks like: a black strap and a thick greyish stone that collects magic.

Instead of spending the rest of his day learning, he spends it searching, tears her apartment apart with no luck, then moves on to the bar, searching in every nook and cranny. Regina joins him shortly after he's started the back room, having been relieved by her evening staff. She's still technically on the clock and will be all night, but it's slow now, so she'd not needed on the floor. He hadn't realized just how long the hours she'd been keeping were, and he doesn't know how she does it. He is exhausted and barely did anything.

She kisses him before she gets to it, and they both indulge for a few minutes in the feel of the embrace, the taste of each other's lips. It's calming and centring, makes him feel a little better. It's incredible how the smallest of touches from her can do that for him, and he hopes it helps provide at least a measure of the comfort she does for him.

They chat aimlessly as they go through the boxes of crap that have accumulated here, sticking to lighter subjects, avoiding Gothel's threat. They'd planned on visiting the hospital today, during this down time, but finding this and saving Lucy obviously took precedence.

"I think I," his heart soars for a minute, but then Regina's cursing, throwing whatever it was across the room with a frustrated huff.

He comes to her side, cradling her in his arms, assuring, "We'll find it, we will, I'm sure of it."

She leans back into the embrace, and they stay that for a minute, as she sighs out her frustration.

"I just hate this," she whines, and he understands, feels the same and tells her as much.

"Okay," she sighs, pulling out his arms, "let's keep going."

And they do, taking breaks every so often, him doing whatever he can to boost her spirits despite the nerves that are coiling as they start to finish the boxes.

When there's only one left he loses his faith. After all, what are the chances it's in that? The necklace could be anywhere in Hyperion Heights, if it's even here, and they've wasted a whole damn day sorting through messes that shouldn't even be here. He's annoyed it's all so disorganized, but there is no one to blame. Roni did this, and he knows Regina would never have let it get this bad.

He throws his hands up, tries to shake off the frustration that's mounting. It's a futile exercise, but then Regina gasps, and he looks over to find her holding exactly what she described.

Holy shit, they found it. This was not all for nothing. Thank christ! He could nearly cry from the relief, but instead he pulls her up into his arms, lifting her off the ground and spinning her, praising her for her amazing find.

She smiles down at him, and it's as if the world stops, he forgets about everything that led up this moment, is just elated, and it's just them, together, as it should be.

He lets her slide down him, until she's at his eye level, then they are kissing. It's nothing heated, just soft, loving pecks as they appreciate each other and the victory they've had.

"So," he asks, still holding her up, her hands clasped around his neck holding her weight up, the necklace still held in her hands, resting against his back. "What do we do now?"

He knows what they are supposed to do, bring it to Gothel, but there has to be another option.

"I don't know. I mean I guess we could…"

Her face goes pensive and he waits her out, setting her back down on the ground but keeping her close, letting her sort through whatever is in her head.

"Sorry," she apologizes unnecessarily, and he assures her it isn't required.

"The other option, it's… it's to find Anastasia ourselves, or anyone with magic."

He still doesn't know who she is, voices it and gets an explanation that makes him feel stupid, he should have known, did know, just didn't make the connection. He blames the curse, his brain is still a bit foggy, and it makes him that much more impressed by how clear and coherent Regina was in the aftermath. She does not give herself enough credit. She's so quick, able to push through pain and confusion like a champ (he doesn't want to think too much about the why or he'll be enraged) and does what needs to be done. She never panics in a crisis, is the one who makes the difference by acting. He knows what spurred that, she still punishes herself for freezing with Daniel, then again with him. She doesn't realize how valuable she is, how valued, and it kills him. He's vowed to show her, and he's continuing with that right now.

"You are brilliant," he tells her, delighting in the shy smile that peeks out at his compliment. She doesn't really accept it, he didn't expect her to, moves on to what they can do next.

"Gold must know where she is. He aligned himself with them, maybe with this I can get him back on our side."

"Not so fast," comes from the doorway and they both look toward the source and find Victoria.

Well shit, he should have known it couldn't be that easy.

"What do you want?" Regina snarls, stepping in front of him. He's not sure whether it's intentional or not but he understands the instinct to protect, has the urge to throw himself in front of her despite the seeming lack of danger. He has a bad feeling about this, doesn't know why, but his senses are telling him there's something really wrong here.

Regina must be feeling the same way because she darts to the side, reaching for her baseball bat and suddenly there's a gun pointed at his chest, and everything freezes.

This cannot be it. It will not end like this again, he refuses to entertain it. He swallows hard and tries to focus on anything but the barrel of that gun.

"I don't know who this is," Victoria starts, stepping closer to him. He's tempted to try and run, but won't risk the chance that she'd shoot. His best bet is to stay perfectly still to not set her off and hope to god someone comes to their rescue.

"But…" Victoria's now right in front of him, gun an inch from his heart, and fuck, he should have bolted. "He is obviously important to you, and if you want him to live, you'll do as I say."

He can feel his blood pulsing through his veins and staying still is killing him, his body is flooded with energy, poised to escape, begging him to and it's taking everything not to heed its impulse.

"Put the gun down and let's talk," Regina urges, and he can't look at her, he can hear how terrified she is by the gentle shake in her voice, and he cannot bear to see it.

"Regina, you always want everything your way, but are never willing to pay the price," Victoria sneers, and god, she's so callous and cruel. How can someone have such a disregard for others suffering?

"You… you did this," Regina gasps and catches onto her meaning. They'd suspected she'd had a role in what happened to Lucy, but assumed it was untimely Gothel's doing, not hers, had put too much stock in Victoria's affection for Lucy.

He's outraged as he asks, "How could you hurt a child?"

What in god's name made her think it was okay to hurt Lucy like that?

"Because I was desperate to save my own."

That's not a fucking excuse. Lucy is still her step-grandchild, where is the compassion for her?

"Don't look at me like that. You should understand, your girlfriend cast a curse just to save her son, and yet she's absolved. Regina, the Evil Queen, does a dark thing for a good reason and everyone forgave her."

"Because it's not the same!" he exclaims at the same time as Regina's, "Because I'm not a monster."

That gets to her, Victoria's eyes flash and his adrenaline spikes again. He'd distracted himself with the conversation, but his body is again aware of the imminent danger it's facing.

"Neither am I, and when I get that necklace, turn it over to Gothel and wake Lucy, everyone will know it." She raises her gun, at him, and oh fuck, this is it. He's died before, should be prepared, but isn't, is shaking now from the fear as she commands, "Now, hand it over."

Regina's holding out, but urging, "Don't do this, Victoria, the cost of working with Gothel is too high."

"You're a mother, Regina, you know as well as I when it comes to our children there is no such thing." Victoria snatches it from her hand, then slowly walks backward keeping the gun trained on him. This is his chance, he needs to tackle her, is about to but looks over and sees Regina's stricken face, and god, he cannot take that chance, cannot allow her to suffer this loss again, he saw what it did to her the first time. So he fights against everything in him, every instinct to fight, to try and get Victoria. As soon as she's out the door, Regina throws her body into his, he's not sure if she's sobbing or just shaking, but he clings to her, holding her tight as he reassures her that he's here.

"We have to go find her," she breathes into his skin, and yes, yes they do.

* * *

They never find her, or well, they do, they find her body out in the garden on their way back from Victoria's office in the early hours of the morning. He's about to call the police when Regina stops him, grabbing the shattered necklace from Victoria's hand with her own that's wrapped in her jacket.

"We need to get out of here," she tells him, and he follows her. She doesn't go back to the bar, takes him down some side street, and he's confused until they come upon a payphone and she uses it to notify the police.

Then she leads him back to her place. As soon as they are inside, she locks the door and tells him, "We've been here the whole time, that's what we tell the police if they ask us."

"Why would they come after us?"

"I don't think I left any prints, but if I did…"

And right, there's always that possibility. "Should we… do you have security cameras in the back?"

"I do, but if you are suggesting what I think you are, we need to keep that footage."

Okay then, he trusts that she knows better than him.

"Who… who did that?" he asks, almost afraid to know what the answer is.

"Honestly, it could have been anyone. The necklace though, I wish I knew if she smashed it, or if it was someone else."

"Why does that matter?"

"If it wasn't her then I might have an inkling of who did this. I, um, had someone's magic trapped in that thing for years. It's what gave me the idea to trap all of it, actually."

Wait, what? He has no idea what she means, and asks, "You did what?"

His question goes unanswered because Regina's phone vibrates with a text from Henry that says, "Call me when you get this." Fuck, fuck. His heart is beating out of his chest anxiously, Regina barely keeping it together as she calls and she asks him what's up, obviously surprising him with the instantaneous response, but then her face is splitting into a grin, so it can't be dire.

She mouths, "She's awake," to him and his heart soars, thank god, oh, thank god. One disaster averted, now they have some breathing room, can try to figure out their next move without that danger lording over them.

She hangs up with Henry after telling him she'll be there later in the day to visit. It's five-thirty in the morning and they haven't slept yet. He can feel the exhaustion creeping in now that he's no longer on high alert.

"I can't believe it," she breathes incredulously, and he understands the feeling, it's so rare something goes right for them.

"Let's go to bed, love, then let's go see your granddaughter."

She smiles broadly, taking his arm in hers and leading him into the bedroom as she tells him, "She's going to love you, they all will."

All he can do is grin at her dopily. He's just so happy. Yes, they haven't done much, but Lucy is safe and they have to celebrate these victories.


	4. Chapter 4

He's meeting part of his new family for the first time. It's not ideal, they don't know who he actually is, but he's at least introduced as Robin, Roni's boyfriend. He can start to build relationships with them to show them who he is. The mood is joyful when they arrive, and it seems the news of Victoria's passing has not yet reached them, or Jacinda has just decided not to pass that on and enjoy this time with her daughter. He selfishly hopes it's the latter so this visit won't get cut short by the unfortunate news.

He'd really like to get a moment alone with Lucy, Regina told him she's awake, and he thinks he saw a spark of recognition in her eyes when she saw him, but maybe he's just dreaming. There's no chance of getting her alone though, her parents are far too happy to have her back to leave for even a second. He wonders who Jacinda thinks Lucy's father is, if there is someone walking around cursed to think they have a daughter they don't, or if the man is some fictional construct of the curse. He suspects the latter, given that no one else is here aside from Lucy, Jacinda, Sabine, Henry and them, but he makes a mental note to ask Regina about it later, see if she can shed some light on it.

God, he misses knowing what was going on, he never considered that his return would involve a curse and that he'd be stuck wasting at least a year in some awful other life. He's still glad to be back, but it's fraught with far more challenges than anticipated. Hook had it easy, Hook had to sacrifice nothing, and it's not fair that he got off so damn easy, when it's his fault they were all in the Underworld in the first place. If they had just let him stay dead, things would have turned out so differently…

But then there would be no Alice, no Henry, no Lucy. He wonders sometimes if Hook had to make the same choice and just chose selfishly, but he doesn't think that's the case, chooses to see the good in his friend until proven otherwise. He needs to stop dwelling on the past, these people here, they make it all worth it, and one day soon all of their family will be together again. It's all going to work out, it has to.

Once Lucy gets discharged, they will have one more person on their team, not someone they can talk to freely as they need to shield her from what they can, but another person they can show their true selves to.

He manages to work in a not-so-innocent question about Lucy's father when Jacinda's telling Lucy about all the people who visited her while she was out. It wasn't the best execution, but he's so new to the group he's able to play it off as a curiosity in a way he hopes isn't offensive. He doesn't want to get off on the wrong foot with them, and while Jacinda's tight smile shows it's a sore spot, she doesn't seem too annoyed at him for asking, just confirms that he didn't come to visit.

He can tell there's more to that story, but it's not one she'll be sharing, at least not in front of her daughter.

They leave shortly after, when the doctor comes in to check on Lucy and says if everything checks out she could go home tomorrow morning. Regina gets hugs goodbye, while he gets handshakes, which is fine, he's the new guy. Lucy though, Lucy gives him a big hug, and he's still smiling ear to ear from it as they walk out of the hospital.

"How was that?" Regina asks, holding onto his hand firmly.

"Good, I think. Didn't make a fool of myself. Jacinda doesn't hate me even though I asked an inappropriate question, so things are good."

He looks over to see her shaking her head, a smile blooming as she catches his eye. "I honestly have no idea what possessed you to ask that."

"I was curious. I wanted to know if he was real."

She scrunches her nose in confusion, looking so damn cute as she does. "What do you mean real?"

"Like if he's some other cursed person or he's a figment, someone that doesn't actually exist, like Henry's other wife and child."

" _Oh_ , he is real. I've met him, he comes by the bar sometimes."

She's flagging down a cab as he comments, "Poor bloke, thinking he has a child he doesn't."

She gets one, grabs for the door, but turns back to him to say, "You do _not_ need to feel sorry for him."

"And why is that?" he asks once they are seated and she's given the cabbie her address.

"He's a womanizer and doesn't want anything to do with Lucy. I used to think it was so sad, but now I'm kind of happy about it, that he's not in her life, because it would only make things harder."

He has to think about how to phrase this, doesn't want their driver thinking he's insane by asking about the Enchanted Forest or talking about fairytale characters. "Not someone you know then?"

"No, never met him. Maybe he's lovely in… _another context,_ he is respectful and charming, it's how he succeeds in all his conquests but it always rubbed me the wrong way that he didn't want anything to do with his kid."

"Some things survive anything."

At the quizzical arch of her brow, he elaborates, "Your mothering instinct, sounds like it was as strong as ever."

"Mmm, I'm not sure that's true. He also used to flirt with me, which I am twice his age, well, probably even more so, but that never deterred him."

"Oh, well, guess I must hate him then."

She smirks, "Yes, you must. You are here to defend my honour, aren't you?"

He snickers, "I know very well that you are more than capable of doing that yourself. But, if you'd ever like me to tap in, just say the word."

She reaches for his hand, squeezing tightly as she beams at him. He's struck once again by how beautiful she is, how lucky he is to see that smile, that amidst everything they manage to have these moments.

He can't resist telling her that he loves her, a sentiment she returns in kind, and they sit like that hand in hand for the rest of the drive. He has another question, but it's not one he wants to ask with an audience. They'd been too caught up earlier to discuss how Lucy woke up, and he can't help but wonder if it's connected to Victoria's death, if she gave her life to save Lucy.

She didn't seem the type, but people can change, and she'd done everything possible to save her daughter, perhaps some of that affection was passed on to her granddaughter.

Regina suggests they grab some food from the bar, a great idea considering the scantness of their fridge, but he makes sure to ask her his question before they enter.

She mulls it over, admitting that it's possible, but that they have no way of knowing what happened.

Later, when they are sprawled on the couch eating (there's no dining room table), she muses, "A life for a life would make sense. I could never find anything where the price was anything less in my searches."

"And that's how Rumplestiltskin came back."

She spears more of her salad before answering with a nod—he still can't believe she ordered salad from the bar but to each their own, and she'd also turned her nose up at his order, a plate full of deliciously deep fried things.

"You know what I don't get, and I'm hoping my brilliant girlfriend can sort out for me…"

She rolls her eyes, but there's an impishness behind it. "And what is that?"

"Rumplestiltskin died by stabbing himself with the dagger, Hook died by stabbing himself with the dagger. The Dark One has been on this long quest and to me, there's a _very simple solution_ , so what am I missing?"

This may be an extraordinarily stupid question but he trusts Regina won't make it him feel like it is, no matter how true that statement may be. Sure enough, she smiles at him, nodding her head like it's a valid question.

"You can be brought back, at the vault of the Dark One. A life for a life and you can resurrect the Dark One. Someone could also steal the power, though this was more Belle's concern, sort of like what Rumple did when Hook sacrificed himself. If someone got their hands on the dagger, they could do the same thing. No one has, that we know of, but he was looking for something truly permanent, a way to die and end the Dark One with no possibility of resurrection or resurgence."

He was missing something, he's glad he made it clear he knew that he could be. Her explanation makes it all fall into place for him. He'd never understood why Rumplestiltskin didn't just stab himself, and now he has his answer.

There was something else he'd meant to ask her, he can feel it niggling in the back of his mind, that sense that he wanted to know something, but what, he has no idea.

They have time now at least, the family they can check on is safe for the interim, and Robyn is on her way back. Things are looking up for them. He's not going to wait for the other shoe to drop, he is going to enjoy this.

* * *

She is late for work. She's never late, is a consummate professional, but she'd left Robin in their bed, thought he was asleep and went into the shower only to discover when she got out that he was wide awake, and wanting. She'd let out some menial protests, but he was shirtless, and hot, and hard in his sweats, so all it had really taken was the press of his lips to that spot behind her ear and his hand skimming under the towel, touching bare, sensitive flesh for her to turn to putty in his arms.

It had been quick and rough in the best of ways, her standing pinned to the dresser, him pounding into her fiercely from behind with his fingers strumming over her clit. It couldn't have been more than five minutes before she came, clamping down on him and crying out as the ecstasy coursed through her. He'd stayed strong, managed to push her into one more, leaving her legs feeling like jello as she rushed to dress and get downstairs.

She's make-up free today, had no time, could do nothing more than throw on some clothes and thunder down the stairs. She's only five minutes late opening, which all in all isn't bad, though unprofessional as hell, but the only one waiting outside is Henry. She knows he can't be aware of what had her scrambling, but she still feels her cheeks heat as she unlocks and lets him in.

Her kitchen staff are in the back already, having used the employee entrance and she should probably be upset they didn't open up for her, but well, she doesn't expect much of them. She has a lacklustre team at best, and Roni had low expectations. As long as they made the orders and didn't poison anyone Roni considered it a rousing success. No wonder this bar was doing so poorly before.

Henry's looking at her curiously as he steps in and takes his usual seat at the bar, which she doesn't pay any mind to, she is never late after all. It's only once she pours him a beer (a Hoppy Ending, the same craft beer she rarely sells except to him) and asks him how it's going that she realizes why, and nearly dies of embarrassment.

His smirking comment about her hair has her cheeks heating and her wanting to melt into the floor. A quick look at herself with her phone shows her hair is a hot mess, and oh good god, her son is teasing her about the sex she so obviously had, and it is _mortifying._

He seems to find her embarrassment amusing, it leads him to more teasing as she attempts to tame the sex hair, cursing Robin for fisting his hands through it again and again, thoroughly mussing it up then not telling her and letting her come down here like this, where her son was waiting for her. What the hell did she ever do to deserve this humiliation? (So, _so_ many things is the answer, but she's too preoccupied with dying from embarrassment to really think about it.)

"So Robin…" he starts leadingly, and no, _hell no_ , she is not doing this with her son, no sir.

"Is none of your business," she says curtly, but he is undeterred, fuck.

"Come on, Roni, I've answered your questions about Jacinda, it's only fair."

That's different, so different, but how is she supposed to explain that? He does not actually want to know what he's asking, and she will _not_ be discussing the dirty details with him, _ever._

But she has to say something, he's looking at her expectantly and so she settles on, "He's important to me."

"Obviously," Henry says with a pointed arch of the brow she is ignoring the implications of, lest she be overcome by the squirmy, uncomfortable feeling that's just started to simmer down. She's going to answer his question, sort of, and tell him about Robin, their cover story, anyway.

"He's my ex, or was, we're back together now."

"You did mention that the other day. Is it serious?" He pauses, then continues, "Just, considering you brought him to see Lucy, I assumed it was."

Oh, that it is, and this she can confess that without any unease. "I love him, and he does, too."

"That's great, Roni," Henry tells her, beaming, and it reminds her of when he first found out she was dating Robin and had that same sort of excited interest (minus the teasing, she'd been embarrassed then too but nothing that compares to now). The memory of happier times makes her heart clench and she longs to hear him call her mom again. She loves this Henry, this cursed version, genuinely enjoyed his company before she knew who he was, but it's not the same. She misses her son, the truest believer, the person who always saw the best in everyone and helped them become that person.

"Thanks, Henry. Now, what about you and Jacinda?"

He laughs, "Well, we've been getting closer. I wasn't going to make a move when Lucy wasn't okay, but she's on her way home today, Jacinda confirmed it this morning. However, there's some other news, so once things get back to normal, then I'm gonna ask her out."

She knows he's referring to Victoria's passing, which Roni sure as hell wouldn't know about yet, since it hasn't hit the media, so she breezes right by it with a, "Good for you."

He nods but there's something in his eyes that gives her pause, so she asks, "You are happy about it, right?"

He slowly lifts his glass, taking a sip of his beer and setting it down before sighing, "I am, I like her, I do, you know that. I just…"

He's not going to tell her, is clamming up, closing off, and she can't have that. "You can tell me anything. Everything said in this bar remains confidential."

He laughs softly at that, but doesn't answer, leading her to think she's lost him until he sighs again and starts, "It's… _mixed._ You know that I lost my family and it hasn't been all that long since it happened. I still love them; I will always love them. Maybe it's too soon because… it feels, well, it feels… like, a bit like a betrayal, to actively try to move on, to think about the potential of another life."

That's a feeling she is well acquainted with. "They would want you to be happy. It's hard, but you owe it to them to try." He doesn't look convinced so she adds, "If the roles were reversed. If…" it's at that moment she realizes she doesn't know his fake wife's name. "If you were gone and they were here, you'd want her to move on, to find happiness, wouldn't you?"

He nods, avoiding her gaze by looking down at his glass. "Yeah, I would. I wouldn't want her to have all this guilt, but I've told myself that, and I still do. I just, I can't win."

"That's okay. Whatever you feel is legitimate, there's no script, no proper way to deal with this." She snickers darkly to herself, knowing he won't get why as she amends, "As long as you aren't out there hurting anyone, you do whatever you need to. Grief is… tricky."

He looks up at her then, recognition dawning on his face, and what he says is not a question. " _You_ lost someone too."

"I did, and it nearly destroyed me. Later on I _thought_ I lost someone else and that too wrecked me, but I kept going, I didn't have any other choice. It hasn't been easy but now, for the first time in a long time, I'm happy."

Well, close to it, but he wouldn't understand that, not until he wakes up.

"Well, cheers to that," he says lightly, raising his glass and downing the rest of it. She offers another, which is rare for him to accept, but today he does, and she can appreciate using it to shake off the sombre conversation they engaged in.

She'll keep it light from now on, doesn't want to have him dwelling on any unnecessary pain.

She doesn't have to think up anything to say though, because once she's given him his beer and he's taken a sip, he tells her, "I should really get to work, do you mind if I take up that corner to work on H-Town?"

"Of course not." She gestures around the empty space, "Not like anyone else is here."

"Oh, that reminds me. A man was here, before you got in. He was antsy and in a hurry, had to leave, but he wanted me to give you his card."

He passes her a card for Baron Samedi, real estate developer, who she has never heard of.

"Did he say what he wanted?"

"No, but he seemed to think that you'd _know him_."

That's strange, how would she… oh god, could it be him? Is Facilier really here? She's been suspecting he played a role in Victoria's death given that the necklace he gave her (twice) was shattered, even though she really has no basis for it. She also has no basis for thinking this man could be Facilier, but her mind still jumps there and she's learned over the years to trust her instinct.

"What did he look like?" she demands, realizing too late how her tone came off.

"Tall, black, nicely dressed, bald with a goatee."

It's fairly generic description but Facilier fits it, and she knows he was in the other Enchanted Forest when they got cursed, so it would make sense for him to be here. She doesn't know if he's awake or not, but if he is it spells trouble for her. The last time she saw him she was able to avoid the consequences of what she did to him in their past because he wanted a second chance and she was lonely enough to consider it. But now she has Robin, and as soon as Facilier finds out about that, all goodwill toward her will vanish and she'll be forced to pay the price for what she did to him so many years ago, before curses, the land without magic and Henry, for a sin the Evil Queen barely batted an eye over.

But she doesn't know that he's awake, why would he be? And if he isn't, well, then maybe she can exploit that attraction—if it still lingers. It's a terrible thought, but he's a terrible person, is all about himself and his aims, uncaring what he does to other people. When they were together that suited her fine, because what did the Evil Queen care about others? As long as he didn't interfere with her plans, she was fine. It was only once he started to that she'd lured him in with false promises and cut him off at the knees, stealing his power, and thus his ability to interfere.

She lies through her teeth as she tells Henry, "Hmm, doesn't sound familiar. You want me to send another over to help with the writing?"

He laughs, "Maybe later, two beers help get the creative juices flowing, but three on an empty stomach and…"

"Some food then?" she asks, passing him a menu even though he probably has it memorized by now.

"Probably a good idea. Thanks, _Mom_."

She knows it's meant to be good natured joking around, but it hurts, has her throat tightening because she needs to hear that for real and hearing it like this is worse than not hearing it all. It shows her how far away they are from where she needs them to be.

She laughs it off, reminding him to eat and earning herself another teasing jab that she has to swallow down and pretend isn't affecting her the way it does. She has to get him back soon, can't bear to keep expereincing this torture of having him so close yet so far. She has to figure this out, needs to put all the pieces together and do whatever necessary to get magic for herself so she can fix Henry's heart, then wake him and have her family back, all of it, finally.

* * *

Robin started his "shift" getting scolded by the boss for making her late, but more importantly, messing up her hair, making it obvious to Henry the activities they'd been engaging in. Hearing her retell it is hilarious to him, but he tamps down his amusement when she makes it clear just how unamused she is. He's always been one to find humour in dark times, and this is just too funny to him. He recognizes the hypocrisy of it, that he wouldn't feel the same if it were him who was caught, but he still can't stop laughing every time he thinks of it and how taken aback Regina must have been, how her cheeks would have heated as she tried to stammer her way out of the awkward conversation.

Right now she has other things on her mind, is glaring over at the corner where Henry and Drizella sit. He takes advantage of being unknown by her, is able to make some passes over there and hears bits and pieces of their conversation without her stopping on his account. He's not sure what angle she's working or if she's just genuinely upset about her mother's demise, but she's seeking comfort that Henry is more than willing to provide.

He knows it's a problem even before Regina tells him, showing him the Instagram posts that caused Henry and Jacinda problems before. Sister issues, the villain exploiting the unknowing partner they aren't actually interested in to accomplish their goal. He may be projecting, but it hits far too close to home, and he vows he will not let Henry fall into the trap he did. It's not the same, he knows that, but he also knows uncursed Henry does not want Ivy, and he will be damned if he lets that happen.

His situation was perhaps more complicated because there was magical impersonation involved but Ivy is doing something similar, is playing a role to try and seduce Henry into bed and it makes him sick. He doesn't know what her deal is with Jacinda, if it is just her trying to prevent the curse from breaking or something more, but he will not let her do this, even if it's the last thing he does.

He is having unwelcome flashes of Zelena, of that moment when she revealed herself as what he thought was Marian. His stomach is churning as he tries to block out the memories: the horror, the shame, the guilt, everything that came with that revelation. He thought he was over it, had spent many years watching her with his daughter and telling himself he was okay with it, but now he's not so sure that's the case, not if the slightest hint of something like that has him feeling like this.

He shakes it all off, or tries to, because there are other things they need to be doing, and his demons are not a thing he wants to waste energy on. He's still feeling shaky and off, has thoughts intruding despite his best efforts, but he's able to distract himself with work, and it's a welcome distraction. He probably learns more in that hour Ivy is there than he has all other times because he is so focused on what he's doing, so determined to keep those flashes at bay.

Once she leaves, after hugging Henry in a way that has anger rising inside of Robin, he makes his way over to him. They don't know each other well, at all, but he has to know what Henry is thinking, to ensure he's not going to go after Ivy.

He plops himself down on the couch beside Henry, with a beer of his own in hand, a Femme Fatale by Evil Twin brewing company. Given their doppelgȁngers he couldn't resist trying it, earning himself a good shake of the head from Regina. He's drawn to the unique craft beers she has, doesn't understand why someone would want a Corona when there's a Ruud Awakening, a Fog Breaker and a Hoppy Ending to choose instead. (And oh look at that his efforts paid off and he's learned their beer selection finally).

"Sorry, you don't mind the company do you?" he asks, belatedly realizing his uninvited presence might be unwelcome.

"Not at all, in fact, I've been meaning to talk with you."

"Oh, you have?" he has no idea why, but he wants to know.

"Listen, I don't know you, but I know Roni, and she trusts you, which makes you good in my books, but if you ever hurt her—"

"I would never," he assures, and it's true, Henry just doesn't know the depth of how true it is. "I love her, I have for a lot of my adult life. Now that I have her back, I'm never letting go."

"You love her?"

"More than I can express."

That seems to satisfy Henry and he feels a lick of pride over the approval, despite the ridiculousness of that.

"So that girl… someone special, I presume?" He's choosing his words carefully because he's supposed to be unaware, yet knows more than he can let on.

Henry frowns. "Not exactly, not if you mean what I think you do. She's just a friend."

He has to be careful here, the last thing he wants to do is push Henry into her arms but, "That looked more than friendly."

"Her mother just died."

"Oh," he says pretending to be surprised, hoping he's decent at this deception, though he's never been good at lying to those he cares about. "I'm sorry to hear that. She looked… you just, well, I don't know you that well, but grief is a strange creature, you'll want to be careful with her, ensure she doesn't do anything she regrets. That kind of loss can make you seek out things that you don't actually want just to form a connection with someone."

"She's a little lost and I understand that, I've been there. I think she is reaching for connections, but for the good. She's going over to see her step-sister now, and I think that will be good for them."

That's unexpected, but he doesn't show it, instead asks, "Are they close?"

Henry shakes his head, "Not at all, but a lot of that is because of her mother, who's now gone, so…"

"I hope that works out for them. It would be a shame for anything to get in the way of that reunion."

Okay, maybe he's being too blunt here, but Henry doesn't seem to attach the same meaning to it that he meant.

"Yeah, me too. They've had a rocky relationship but they need each other now. And I think it would be good for Lucy to see her mom and Aunt come together like this."

Here's his opportunity. "Oh, so that was _Lucy's Aunt_?"

Henry nods, so Robin adds, "Then I'd be extra careful. I can't imagine your girlfriend would appreciate you saddling up with her sister, even if the aim was to mend that relationship. To me it looked like more, I'd hate for her to come to the same conclusion."

Henry frowns, which makes him think he's getting his point across. "Jacinda's not my…" he shakes his head, "You know what? It doesn't matter. There's nothing between me and Ivy, never will be, but thank you for the reminder that appearances can be deceiving."

"Sorry to have jumped to conclusions, I do hope I didn't offend you."

"No, not at all, just gave me something to think about is all."

"Okay, if you are certain. I tend to stick my foot in my mouth, so please do tell if I do and I'll work to rectify it."

Henry chuckles and admits, "Maybe a little, but I think I needed that, so thanks."

He raises an eyebrow as he internally celebrates. "Well then, seems I did some unintentional good. My break is up soon, but thank you for the company. It's been nice to get to know you, Henry."

Henry smiles, "You as well, feel free to pop by anytime you want to talk."

Oh, he'll be taking advantage of that, but for now, he's going to return to the bar, to answer the questions he can see sparking in Regina's eyes. She did a good job of not staring at them, though he did notice her gaze a couple of times over their conversation.

"What was that about?" she asks him when he gets back to the bar, and he's utterly unsurprised by the question. He gives her a quick recap of the conversation and earns himself a soft peck on the cheek as she thanks him for interfering. It makes heat flush up his cheeks, not because it's scandalous, it's not at all, but because Regina isn't usually so free with her affection in public. It has him smiling dopily over at her because he loves her so much, is so blessed to get to experience her affections again.

They get busy serving customers, and he thinks he might actually impress her with the knowledge he gained today, which makes pride flush through him. He doesn't want to only be the sidekick, wants to actually be useful in any way he can, and he seems to be succeeding.

They make a good team at the bar, they find a rhythm and are able to move around each other well. He no longer feels like he's bogging her down, but that he's contributing, and it's a welcome feeling.

Everything goes well until he's precariously balancing a tray of draft beers and turns quickly without looking and smacks straight into her, beer going everywhere, glasses flying and breaking when they hit the floor, but thankfully not hurting anyone.

He expects her to be mad, is breathlessly apologizing and offering to clean up as he waits for a scolding that never comes. Instead, she looks at his face and their beer covered bodies and laughs.

When the peals of laughter stop, she tells him, "I'm going to pop upstairs and change. I'd recommend you do the same once I'm back, but for now, you'd better repour those beer."

She struts off and he watches her, half in shock and half because her ass is swaying deliciously. He takes a step to get a better view, crunching glass under his foot, which brings him back to the reality here. In addition to what she asked him to do, pour the drinks, he's going to get this mess cleaned up before she gets back.

And sure enough by the time she comes back down the stairs—looking far too irresistible in what she's donned, the jeans and white tied t-shirt that shows a tantalizing hint of her belly—he's taken care of the mess and gotten all of the customers served. He's struck for a second, but recovers, tells her just how good she looks before he heads upstairs to change himself. It's then he spies the wet card on the counter that reads Baron Samedi, and he makes a note to ask her about it, before changing and making his way back to the bar.

* * *

It's not until later, when the night is winding down and they've left the bar for her apartment, that he gets a chance to ask her about that card. He's sitting down on the couch, while she wipes down the coffee table, and her eyes go wide when he asks about Baron Samedi. She nearly drops the cloth in her hand, and it throws her, he can tell, he's just not sure why.

He gets his answer once he inquires further, as she tells him she thinks it's Dr. Facilier. He knows that she kissed him, and he's not mad if that's what she's concerned about. He was dead, he wanted her to find happiness, was disheartened when she gave up on romantic love and even stopped seeking sex, though after her horrendous drunken mistake with Dr. Whale he did understand that impulse. He'd been happy when she and Mal reconnected, but that too ended when Mal met Mulan. Regina stayed celibate after that, not for lack of opportunities though, he would love her even if she wasn't the knockout she is, but that fact garnered her lots of attention she resolutely refused.

She hadn't kissed a soul in over ten years when Facilier came around, and so their make out shocked the hell out of him. They had a past together, that much was obvious and it was odd, but watching that had jealousy flaring for the first time, he thinks in part because there was so clearly that history he didn't know about.

He doesn't quite know how to ask this, but says, "So you two… there's a history there, right?"

She blushes and it's adorable, so much so that he reaches for her and wraps his arms around her waist, planting a soft kiss to her back to assure her he's still here, still loves her, and doesn't care about the answer.

She sighs, abandoning her task and dropping the cloth onto the table as she sinks into his lap. "There is…" she starts, then shifts over more to his side so he can actually see her face, "We don't… please don't think I'd want anything to do with him."

He knows better than that, and she should know that he would never think that. "I know, I know you love me. I'm _not_ _jealous_."

That's mostly true, he was jealous of the time they got together, but that's different. He loves and trusts her completely, he's not worried about Facilier, not one bit, which is why he's comfortable with his what-could-be-construed-as-a-lie

"Then what are you?" She looks adorably confused, her lips pursing and brow wrinkling as she looks down at him. God, she's pretty.

Her actual question is easier to answer than he expected. "Curious," is what he tells her, because he is, has been since he saw them kiss, even with all it brought up it had him hoping they'd go discuss their past, but with no avail.

"It's weird, we never, I mean, I guess there wasn't time, but so much happened and we didn't ever really discuss our love lives before us, outside of that one time in front of the fire…"

He smirks at her as he thinks of that incredible encounter, how stunningly open and honest she'd been. He'd felt so much closer to her after learning all about Daniel and the relevance of his tattoo (the orgasms helped as well). He'd thought they'd have more of those, and they did have more private, intimate moments, but those were usually focused on whatever disaster they were fighting at the time, or whatever demon had popped up that pulled them from slumber. The nightmares are the only reason he knows about the King, with everything that was going on in their brief time together he knows she wouldn't have brought it up (outside of vague mentions in their talks about what Zelena did to him) if she hadn't woken him up with her thrashing and whimpers in the Underworld.

Their relationship certainly didn't follow the normal steps, and he wonders sometimes if he would have loved her with the same depth so quickly if they hadn't had so many obstacles in their path, if they'd been given the luxury of a leisurely courting, not filled with risk of death and separation. That is not to say he doesn't love the relationship they were able to build, he does, and loves her immensely, he wouldn't change it for the world, he's just had a lot of time to indulge his curiosities. Now, he's indulging another, is urging her to tell him all about her relationship with Facilier.

She feels a little awkward about it, he can tell from the bit of tension in her that wasn't there before, but she pushes through it, settles into him with a sigh, and starts her story.

"We met in the Enchanted Forest, shortly after Graham failed to kill Snow for me. I was intrigued by his magic, and he was intrigued by me. After a while we, uh, fell into bed together. It was never more than that for me, but it was for him, and I didn't realize until too late."

She shifts, snuggling further into him, and he adjusts his arms so the one stays around her waist, but the other rests on her thigh, rubbing up and down absently as she continues. "By that time I was caught up in my revenge, I'd been thwarted by Rumple and I was furious. He tried to help me, offered me some of his magic, channelled it into an enchanted necklace, that one Victoria took from us. I had hoped it would circumvent Rumple's _I couldn't hurt Snow and Charming_ spell, but it didn't. Then that's when I got really into the curse. He didn't want that, kept offering to kill Snow for me, but I didn't want that, I'd decided the curse was a fate worse than death for her. I knew he was going to do something so I…"

She tenses a bit, looking at him seeming assured by his lack of a reaction. He's not sure what she expected, disgust probably, but he's not unaware of her past and he'd never let that change how he feels about her now.

"I took his magic. The thing with that is you have to give it freely, and I, well, I tricked him, seduced him and asked for it in a moment I knew he couldn't refuse me. I took advantage of how he felt for me. Then I got rid of it, so he couldn't mess up my plan and I sent him to another realm, knowing that without magic he couldn't get back to me."

And between then Facilier got his magic back, but what he doesn't understand is why Facilier kissed her, and didn't try to exact revenge. And also, "I'm just a little confused. I saw your most recent encounter with him and it didn't seem like you'd ended that badly."

She stiffens up then, "You… you saw us at Tiana's coronation?"

He nods, and she sucks in a breath. He rushes to reassure, "I saw the kiss, I wasn't upset about it, you were lonely and I wanted you to have affection again, I'm just missing something about how you got there."

She grabs his hand on her thigh, squeezes it firmly and he leans up, pressing a kiss to her cheekbone. The physical assurances seem to placate her fears and she starts to explain, "I was lonely, and it had been a _long time_ , and he…" She blushes and it's adorable, has him pressing another kiss to her jawline, running his hand soothingly up and down her back.

"He was the first man to… to um, to give me an orgasm."

He laughs, doesn't mean to, but it just pops out of him inappropriately and they both are a little shocked by it.

"Sorry, love," he apologizes with a shrug, "that… _struck_ me, I can't explain it. I was just not expecting _that answer_."

She smiles, drops a kiss to his lips, whispering between them as she pulls away, "It's okay." Then she smirks and adds, "It's not as though I've never had an inappropriate reaction before."

He loves that they can joke about her past like this, that she's comfortable enough to do this with him. It makes his heart swell, knowing the depth of trust and comfort it takes for her to be able to be like this with him, open and fully herself. This is not the Regina most people see, but it's the woman he fell in love with, and is blessed to have a second chance with.

"God, I love you," he tells her, a sentiment she returns after beaming at him and rubbing her nose against his playfully. They trade some soft, lazy kisses, intimacy humming between them as they snuggle together—it's nice, so nice that he doesn't want to break the moment, but he's still curious.

"So when you saw him again, how'd you know he wasn't going to hurt you?"

She shrugs, "I didn't, but I saw the way he looked at me, and he gave me the necklace back, so I took a chance."

He shudders at the thought of how badly that could have gone, but pushes past it. "So then it didn't mean anything to you? I don't mean that with any sort of judgment, I'm just trying to wrap my head around it."

"I wouldn't say it meant nothing. I was so alone and I'd sworn off any sort of affection, but I needed it, craved it. I think if he'd tried for more, I might have let him. I was desperate for some companionship and to feel good, and I knew he could do that."

She seems to have gotten over any worry he'll be upset about this which is good, he wants her to know that she can tell him anything, and to know their relationship is secure enough, that he trusts and loves her enough to hear her talking about wanting another man without upsetting him.

"What do you think his aim was?"

She shakes her head, "Honestly, I'm not sure. He gave me that necklace back, it didn't hold his magic anymore, but I took it as a sign he forgave me, or at least was putting the past in the past, but I'm really not sure. We didn't talk again after that, he was off doing whatever it was he was doing, then we got cursed."

Robin knows a bit of that because he'd watched the man for a while after, trying to determine what he wanted with Regina, with no avail. He does know, "Facilier wanted the power of the Dark One. For what aim I don't know, but that was his goal."

"How do you know that?"

Well, this is awkward to admit, he hopes she doesn't take it the wrong way. "I watched him for a while after your kiss, I just wanted to know what he was up to. Part of it was boredom. There was nothing really to do up there but watch, and I liked to add a new person from time to time to keep things interesting."

She chuckles, then goes more pensive, "Let's hope he's not awake then. The last thing we need is him trying to take out Rumple while we try and sort this all out."

He hums his agreement, then sets his sights on her lips, kissing them until all thoughts of her ex-lover and old tutor are gone, and they lose themselves in each other.


	5. Chapter 5

She still hasn't called Facilier, it's only been two days since he left his card, and yesterday she'd been distracted by a text from Robyn that she'd booked her flight and would be back in two weeks time. She may have had reasons, but still, she can't help but feel like delaying is a mistake. She hasn't yet today because she doesn't know what to say to him, and she needs to figure that out, needs to, today, no excuses.

If he has magic then maybe, just maybe he can help. It's unlikely given all that she's done to him and now that there is no chance she'll ever be with him, but she has to find out what he wants. She won't help him become the Dark One, but maybe there's a chance she can double-cross him again to get what she wants.

She should probably feel bad about how she's already thinking of deceiving him, but he's not a good person. Deception is usually his game, she's seen him use tricks and cheats countless times to undermine and harm people so it's only fair that that happens to him.

It's an uncomfortable line of thought for her, a bit too reminiscent of her former self, who was able to justify all sorts of behaviour with logic like that. Too reminiscent of the woman who hurt people without a thought or care, who was all about herself and her aims. It's different now because her overall aim is a good one, but she doubts a hero would think of things in this way.

Victoria's funeral was today, she didn't go but she knows Henry did, even attended the reception for a bit before leaving and coming here. She's a little surprised he managed to escape, given that Ivy had asked him to go and has been glommed onto him since Victoria's death. She needs to have a word with Ivy, figure out what she's up to, but she's ignoring Regina's calls, so she'll have to try a more direct route.

There's been no word of Anastasia, who she knows is back to life, in a whole new world which has to be confusing. She has no idea who is taking care of her, but she's worried Ana's power will fall into the wrong hands.

She's tried to pry information from Henry, but he seems to know nothing about Ana and that concerns her. If she's not with Ivy, then who? None of the options are particularly good, between Rumple, Gothel and Facilier, that girl is in for trouble. Rumple may mean well, but she knows him and he is not the comforting presence that girl needs right now. She lost so many years and now her mother is dead, her younger sister is now older and darker, and she's in a whole new world.

There is so much to do, so much to find out, and she's been failing at both, between running the bar and soaking up time with Robin she hasn't done half of what she wanted and that has to stop. Focus now, savour later, the sooner she focuses, the sooner they get their family back.

She _should_ be able to bow out of the bar tonight, Robin has been picking things up really fast, and with him and the evening staff she's mostly confident things won't fall apart if she goes off in search of answers, as long as she's back to close up shop. She knows Robin would want to come with her, but she doesn't want him put in danger again. He died for her once, she is sure as hell not letting that happen again.

She also needs to go see Rumple. Now that Victoria is dead, she's hoping he'll fess up to being awake and will have some insight on what's been going on. Even if he doesn't, she needs to warn him about Facilier, needs to ensure he doesn't let that damn dagger fall into the wrong hands. There's so much potential for disaster and she does not have the tools to put out all of (or any of) these fires if they come alight.

It all makes her antsy and on edge. She realizes she's been aimlessly fiddling with the card in her hand for quite some time, and looks around to see if she missed anything in her distracted daze. The bar is not too busy, and Robin is taking care of the small group of older ladies having an early dinner in the back. It really is the perfect time to take a break, and she needs to stop stalling. Okay, this is it, she's going to do it, going to call Facilier. He may not even answer so it's ridiculous to be nervous about it, right?

She signals to Robin that she's going to make a phone call and steps into the back room, needing the privacy to have this conversation.

One breath, then another, and she's dialling the number on the card, stopping for a second to double check it before hitting the call button.

Facilier answers on the second ring, "Hello?"

"Hi." Oh god, what the fuck does she say? "I'm, um, this is Roni, I was given your card and told you wanted to speak with me."

His voice smooths out then, "Ah, yes, the owner of Roni's Pub. I wasn't sure you'd call."

He's playing it cool, and yes, so is she, but it still annoys her. "If you are looking to buy my bar, it's a no."

"Actually, I was hoping to meet with you. Could you do this evening?"

"What about?"

"I have a proposition for you."

That's vague, but she knows him well enough to know she won't get much more than that unless she agrees. "What time?"

"Meet me at my apartment at eight, I'll send you the address."

She's about to propose an alternate location but he's already hung up. Ugh, well, guess she's going to his place then. She doesn't like that, wants it to be in public—given the risk—but then they couldn't discuss what they need to without privacy, so maybe this is better, if less safe for her.

Robin won't like it, she knows that. Not because he doesn't trust her, nothing like that, he's shown her time and again just how much he does—but because she is going to go alone without protection. It _has_ to be her only though, he _can't_ come along—it's far too risky.

Maybe she won't tell him, and will just go. No, she can't do that, not after everything. She owes it to him to tell him, to not sneak around, but she is going and going alone, that is final. He doesn't control this decision or her, but he's earned the right to be informed.

She means to tell him when she comes back out, but gets distracted by Jacinda and Lucy walking in. They are both dressed in all black, appropriately mournful, but neither looks distressed which she takes some comfort in. She knows they both had complicated relationships with Victoria and that her death can't have been easy on them. In some ways, it should be easier because they weren't close, but emotions are never that simple, she was still family and it will still hurt.

She locks eyes with Robin, they need to get Lucy alone, tell her that they are awake and he nods, clearly understanding what she's trying to tell him.

Jacinda takes a seat with Henry and she goes over to offer her condolences, asking if she can get her anything, and when the answer is no, she asks if she can borrow her daughter for a moment.

Lucy looks at her with wide eyes and follows her, but nothing is said until they are in the backroom, Robin closing the door behind them.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?" she asks first, knowing Lucy has been through a lot in the past few weeks. From having her belief destroyed, to fighting for her life, then learning her grandmother died. It was a traumatic time, and she needs to know that Lucy's okay.

"I'm okay, she wasn't a good Grandma… she kept trying to take me from my mom." Lucy looks down and Regina can tell she's not done, so waits her out, and sure enough, "She didn't love me. I was a little sad when I found out… but not really anymore. Is that _bad?_ "

She wraps her arms around her, breathing, "Of course not," trying to rid Lucy of the guilt she doesn't need to be carrying. "Don't feel bad for not being sad."

Lucy hugs her back fiercely, then even more so when Regina whispers to her, "Lucy, I remember. I'm awake, I know I'm Henry's mom."

"You, you, you, you _remember_ ," her eyes are lit up and shining, her excitement flooding through the room.

She smiles down at her granddaughter and affirms, "I do."

"Who's he?" she whispers back pointing at Robin in a way that was probably supposed to be subtle but was not at all and has both her and Robin chuckling softly.

He answers her question, stepping forward and offering his hand, "Robin of Locksley, at your service."

It's that first greeting he gave Regina in their second-first meeting and it makes her smile, watching him turn the charm on to impress Lucy.

" _Awesome._ When this is over, will you teach me how to shoot a bow?"

Robin immediately agrees which has her shooting him a glare over Lucy's head. Lucy is so young, and archery is dangerous (and yes, she knows he taught Roland from age five, but so what?).

That determination is not his call and she warns, "Only if your parents agree."

Lucy turns back to her, "How did you remember? Can we get them to remember? Then they can break the curse."

She strokes her hair softly, "It's not that simple. Lucy, before the curse happened your father was poisoned. I have to fix that first, before we can think about breaking the curse. And… I don't think your parents _can_ break the curse, but I don't want to take any chances, so I need your help."

Lucy nods eagerly, seemingly not upset, but she learns it's because Lucy has such faith in her (too much faith, she's not that good, but she cannot let this child down, not on this, not after everything she's been through). She explains what she needs, for Lucy to keep Henry and Jacinda apart. It seems like that's all they have been doing lately, keeping people apart, but it will all be worth it in the end (it had better be worth it in the end, but she can't let herself think about what could happen if they aren't successful).

Lucy seems happy to have something to do, to have people who believe her. Regina feels a twinge of guilt for her half-assed measures as Roni, how convinced she'd been that Lucy was wrong and her own efforts to stop Lucy's belief. There's nothing she can do about that now though, just has to focus on healing her son, saving him so Lucy can get both of her parents back. If she can't do that then she helped cast this curse, leading to all of this suffering, for _nothing—_ and that just cannot happen.

It's a nice little reunion and it's shaken any dark cloud Lucy may have had. She will cling to this memory, of Lucy and Robin hugging for the first time, of them chatting together already thick as thieves. He deserves to have that with all of his family and she needs to make that happen for him—he has given up too much for it not to.

While this is lovely, they've been back here for a long time, and there is a bar to run, so reluctantly she suggests they go back. They do go back out, but not until they've come up with an operation name at Lucy's insistence. This time it's Operation Hyacinth, Lucy's idea, for the first flower Henry gave Jacinda.

Her bar hasn't fallen apart in their absence, which is good. She's surprised every day by the connection she still has to it, the drive she has to ensure Roni's does well—she shouldn't care about this place, it's not hers, but she does. It will go away once the curse ends and she's almost sad about that, not about losing the work, it's exhausting, but it was something to do, something to nurture and take pride in. She's missed that since Henry grew up, and she hadn't realized just how much.

She walks over to Henry and Jacinda, is about to apologize for taking Lucy away for so long, until she notices the distraught look on Jacinda's face.

"What's wrong?" she asks and they both startle a little.

"I got the bill for Lucy's stay in the hospital. With all that happened, losing my job, throwing everything into the food truck… I didn't have enough to pay the premiums. I _thought_ it would be okay, I thought once we got off the ground…"

Fuck, fuck. This is just another reason this curse is far worse than the one cast in Storybrooke, everyone at least had healthcare then, even if it was still this stupid system they imported from this backward country they are in.

She can't help but ask, "How much?"

"Twenty-thousand dollars, I _can't_ … I don't know what I'm going to do."

Fuck, she doesn't have that, doesn't have the ability to get even half that. There have to be options, but her mind is drawing blanks and she hates that she cannot do anything. She is part of the reason they are in this mess, she has to fix this.

"We will figure something out, okay? I promise." She has absolutely no idea how, but she'll be damned if Jacinda and Lucy suffer one more thing because of what she did to save Henry. She'll figure something out, she has to!

* * *

Regina is off to see Facilier, at his home no less, and he's stuck here, on edge and worried. He hates the position she put him in. He knew anything he could say against it might come off jealous, which was not it at all. He was and is worried about her damn safety and he knows her enough to know that is something she doesn't place nearly enough value on (or any at times much to his frustration).

He loves her with his entire being but she is so frustrating sometimes. He'd had to bite his tongue when she told him when she said she was going because he knows it was her decision and he didn't get a vote. He even understands why he couldn't go, but that doesn't mean she had to go alone. She's too damn careless with her own life and it scares the hell out of him. But he hadn't been able to put that into words, to explain it to her in a way that wouldn't start a fight, so he bit his tongue. He didn't ask much of anything about it, just asked her to be safe and careful, something he knows she's often not. She'd rolled her eyes at him, but he knows she'd appreciated the sentiment, and the fact that he didn't fight her on it.

It's a choice he now regrets because she's been gone for an hour with no communication at all and his mind is swimming with horrible possibilities. He is itching to call her, to hear her voice, to know that she's okay, but he's fairly certain she wouldn't answer given she didn't answer his text asking how things were going. In fact, he's sent her a couple since she left, all of which have gone unanswered and it makes him even more nervy.

He gets his answer as to why she hasn't answered when he finally breaks down and calls her some twenty minutes later. He hears a vibration and finds her phone, resting on the back of the bar beside a bottle of Grey Goose. He knows that was not intentional, she wouldn't do something that stupid, he hopes. No, it must have been an accident, she wouldn't do that to him, but god, it just makes him even more antsy. And of course, she didn't tell him where Facilier's was or he would be headed over there now.

He can do nothing but sit and wait for her, and it kills him. She better get back soon. He doesn't know how much more of this he can take, not that he has a choice.

He shoots some whiskey to settle his frazzled nerves and prays that all is going well.

* * *

She's having the worst fucking luck. She was already half way here and running late when she realized she'd left her phone, must have set it down somewhere at the bar after ordering the Uber. It's something she feels terrible about because she knows Robin will be worried, and probably out of his mind with it given where she's going. She's also a little worried she'll lose her cell phone for good depending on where she left it, but that's less concerning because she can't get in touch with Robin. She even had her Uber driver stop a couple blocks from Facilier's at a payphone she saw, (who knew those still existed, certainly not in Storybrooke) only to discover after she sent the driver off that the damn thing didn't work.

Robin didn't like that she was going, she knows that much, but he surprised her by not saying anything at all, not even offering to come, not that she would have accepted it. She could tell it bothered him, but he said nothing and she can't help but fear that is going to blow up in her face. This lack of communication is not going to help, but there's nothing she can do about it.

Her stop at the payphone and the subsequent walk over made her even later. Then when she finally got here, Facilier didn't answer the door right away and so she stood, unable to call him, wondering what the hell she should do if he doesn't answer.

It was when she'd finally decided to go back home, planning on flagging down a cab that he finally answered.

They'd played it coy for a while, but she quickly got sick of that, sick of the circling conversation so had taken a risk and said, "I know you are awake."

He'd smirked, said, "It's good to see you, Regina," and they'd gotten into it.

She hadn't learned much she didn't know before. He was surprisingly open about wanting the Dark One's power, but he must not realize her loyalty to Rumple, Facilier did only know them when they were mentor mentee, had listened to her bitch and gripe about Rumple enough times to know it was tumultuous. But Facilier missed everything that happened post-curse, and he never truly understood their relationship to begin with. Even when she hated Rumple, (which was often) even when he was foiling her plans and she was manipulating Belle to mess with him, she never would have actually sided against him, especially not for someone else's aim.

It's one of the many reasons why she and Facilier would never have worked. He doesn't get her, he thinks he does, but he's proven time and again that's not true. He has this flawed idea of who she is and what drives her, he shapes what she does to fit his narrative rather than getting to know the actual her. Maybe if he had she would have fallen for him too, after all, she was desperate for someone to connect with, for some to see and accept her, not the her they wanted her to be. The only person she had that with was Mal, but she'd fought it, just like she fought Tink's efforts to bring her happiness. She was never good at going after what she actually needs, but things have changed, and that's exactly what she's doing now.

She's here to find out if he has magic, if he can get her magic, and that's all. She knows Facilier must want something from her, and as long as it isn't giving him the power of the Dark One she'll do it. Anything is worth it if it gets her magic and the ability to cure her son.

Before they get to that though, she asks him, "Did you kill Victoria?"

His answer is maddeningly vague, and she remembers she has to be precise and unambiguous if she wants to get a straight answer from him, if she gives him any ability to avoid or twist the question he will.

So she tries again, "Did you have a hand in Victoria's death?"

"No."

That surprises her but there's something in his eyes that tells her there's more.

"Do you know who did?"

"I do."

For once could he not just be forthcoming? This is infuriating. "Who was it?"

"What are you willing to give me for that information?"

Oh for god's sake, why is she even here? This is useless, an exercise in frustration. She's going to go, he's not going to help her. She should have known better.

She starts to retreat but he stops her. "Regina, don't be like that, you used to like my games."

He's reaching with that, she used to tolerate them, was playing her own games so she couldn't begrudge him his, but she never enjoyed them.

"Well things have changed," she snips at him, and he raises his brows.

"Apparently. But you have to know the answer you seek already, if not me, who else?"

Gothel, it has to be. He's right, she did know that (or close to) as soon as he confirmed it wasn't him but he doesn't have to be such an ass about it. She scowls at his smug expression and says nothing, an arch of her brow daring him to get on with it.

"I'll be taking care of Mother Gothel, don't you worry."

That's ominous, but she wants Gothel gone so she's not going to interfere, will even help if that's what he wants of her.

"Why? What do you want from Gothel?"

"The girl."

Anastasia, that must mean Gothel has her. So their aims are opposed then. She should have known better than to hope this would be easy, that's not how the world works for her.

"And what do you want with Anastasia?"

"Same as you, her magic of course."

If he gets her magic while Rumple is powerless, that would be disastrous. She has to get it first, or rather, get the girl to help her, no taking of her power required. It would be easier if she just took the power for herself, but she's not that person anymore and it's not as though she has something to put it in anyway.

That is apparently Facilier's problem too and he wants her help to find any magical object that could store Anastasia's power. He offers to cure Henry for her and to settle Jacinda's hospital bill for her in exchange and so she agrees, even though she's going to do her best to get to Anastasia first and ensure he never gets close.

They shake on the deal and the feel of his hand gripped in hers sends a shiver down her spine, making a deal with Facilier is never a good idea, especially when she's going to break it, but she doesn't have another option, so she seals her fate.

Facilier calls and settles Jacinda's bill when she's still there, a gesture of good faith that makes her antsy. There's a wanting in his eyes that makes her uncomfortable—but she has no doubt it's why he's being so generous, and she doesn't want to lose his favour by showing he has no chance. So she ignores the urge to avoid his gaze and to rush out, forces herself to sit and finish the drink he's just topped off. He's being good and she cannot rouse his suspicions.

Once she finishes that drink, she goes to leave, which she can tell he is not a fan of, but doesn't care. He invites her to stay but she declines, which he expresses his disappointment in, but doesn't push, thank god. He even gets her a cab when she asks to use his phone, and soon she's on her way back to the bar.

When she checks the clock in the cab she realizes she was gone even longer than she thought. It's been three and half hours since she left the bar and she's sure Robin is worried sick. She should have called him from Facilier's phone, to tell him she was okay. But it would have been an awkward conversation to have and she's trying not to alert Facilier to the fact that she has a boyfriend and he has no shot. It's too late to call Robin now, but she feels guilty and hopes like hell he isn't mad, that he's realized she left her phone and she isn't ignoring him.

Things are winding down at the bar when she arrives, a couple of people at the corner table and two people at the bar. It's a Wednesday so though they close at midnight it's never a hopping place after the dinner rush like it can be on the weekends. It's just Robin running the bar and he looks frazzled, so concentrated on the drink he's pouring that he doesn't see her at first, but when he does, his face evens out. He doesn't seem mad which she takes as a good sign. When she gets closer, he's given the customer their pint and holds up her phone for her.

It wasn't stolen then, that's good. She smiles as she takes it from him and he gives her a tight grin in response that sends off warning bells in her head. If there weren't people at the bar she would have yelled her apologies as she entered, but there were, so she couldn't, or thought against it, but it's starting to seem like the wrong call.

"I'm sorry," she tells him as he starts to pull another pint, which he acknowledges with a grunt.

It's only once he goes over to the table and comes back that he really acknowledges her, "I was worried sick, you know."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"I know it's not your fault but…"

He lets it hang between them and she knows it's not about her (or not all about her actions). The annoyance comes from his inability to contact her, to know she was safe. She'd feel the same if their positions were reversed, probably would have worked herself up into a good panic over losing him again and devolved into tears so really he's doing a lot better than she would have.

She'll take the annoyance, she's earned it, but she does give him a quick hug and soft peck to his cheek, a reassurance she is here and fine.

She'd like to go discuss what happened, to do more to soothe him, but the other bartender must be on break. Who was even on tonight? She doesn't remember seeing them before she left.

"Alex no-showed, by the way."

That answers that, and shit, that means Robin would have been stuck alone after Remy left at seven, no wonder his mood is shot; she's done those nights alone and it sucks. Even if it's not that busy you can't take a break, have no time to eat, have to carefully plan an exit to the bathroom, which sometimes isn't even possible.

She gets the low down on their current customers, then suggests he take a break, and it seems to do wonders, because when he comes back half an hour later he seems lighter, there's still a bit of tension there, though it's nothing like before.

He waits until they've locked up, walking back toward the bar from the door to ask her, "So how did it go?"

"Better than I thought. He wanted my help with something and—"

"And you said no, right?"

She whips her head toward him to find him glowering. Shit, he's not going to be happy about this. Her face must say it all because he grumbles, "You made a deal _with him_? Seriously?"

That rubs her the wrong way, has her stopping in her tracks as he continues on to the bar. He hasn't even let her explain and is already mad, and that's not okay. "What is the problem here? That I made a deal or that it's with him?"

He's reached the bar but turns back toward her his ill-will radiating off of him, "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Don't you trust me?" She regrets the words as soon as they are out of her mouth because his eyes are flashing and she knows he does, he's proven it time and again. Fuck, this is going to be bad, she should not have said that.

"Are you _fucking_ kidding me? It's not like that at all. How can you even fucking ask me that? After everything."

She rushes out an, "I'm sorry," not wanting to cut him off but desperately wanting to get it out because she is, it was a stupid thing to say, and she regrets it, so much.

"No, keep going, tell me what you _really_ think. Or hell, I'll go first, do you know _how stupid_ it was to go there alone? Yeah, it all worked out but what if it didn't? You are the only one who can save us; you can't be so damn careless with your life. You can't fix this if you are dead, so for god's sake stop thinking you are expendable. You _are not!"_

It's an odd moment, because he's yelling at her, his tone harsh, his hand fisting on the bar top visibly agitated, but his words are sweet. "You matter to so many people; I love you, Henry loves you, Lucy loves you. Don't you _get it_? We _cannot_ lose you! I did not sacrifice twenty years with my children for you to go off taking unnecessary risks, do you hear me?"

She nods, trying to find the right words, finally settling on, "I do," because she needs to say something.

"I love you so much, but I am pissed at you right now."

She steps toward him cautiously, "I know, and I'm sorry. Please know, I didn't mean that, I don't know why—"

He sighs, a bit of the frustration melting off of him, his posture softening. "You attack when you get defensive. I do know you, Regina, I know how you operate. It hurt but I know you didn't mean it. God, I was just so frustrated and worried and I had no idea if you were _even alive_ anymore. It was torture. And it's not like I could run off and find you because you didn't tell me where he lives, and I was stuck here short-staffed with grumpy and rude customers."

He seems to run out of steam then, and she comes closer as he sags against the bar top, and says, "I had a really shitty night."

She wraps her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug as she strokes his back, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had such a rough night and that most of it was because of me. I will check for my phone before I leave from now on, I promise you. I will not leave you hanging. I love you."

He smiles softly down at her. "I love you, too." He sighs then, and admits, "Still a bit pissed to be honest, but it will pass."

They are standing right next to the bar, in front of it, the spot where no chairs are in the way and it gives her an idea. It's after hours, all of her staff have left, it's just them, and Robin needs to work off the tension.

She pushes up onto her tiptoes, lets her lips hover over his ear as she rasps, "Why don't you work off all that frustration by fucking me on this bar?"

It's not something she ever thought about before, but now that she has, she needs it to happen, and if not tonight, some other time. It's a deliciously naughty fantasy and one she is not going to be able to get out of her head.

Robin's eyes widen and he grins at her, then makes her yelp as he hoists her up, turns them and plants her on the bar top. His lips claim hers almost violently, his hands all over her, nails biting. She feels herself shiver with anticipation over what's to come, feels the initial stirrings of arousal low down. All of their couplings since he got back have been soft and loving, at times desperate but still gentle, and this is nothing like that. It's rough in the best of ways, and she finds herself biting back a moan as his teeth sink into her neck.

She tugs at his shirt, gets it off and admires the hard plains of his chest. It's an admiration that's cut off when he strips off her shirt, whipping it behind him so hard it lands halfway across the room, which might be funny if he weren't blowing her mind with how hot this all is. She spies a shadow out the window through their refections and wonders if that person can see them—highly unlikely but still, it makes her pulse race, that thrill over the fact that they could be seen, that they could get caught, which is adding to the moment, making it even more erotic.

It all feels amazing, the way he's attacking her neck, her lips, her skin. She tries to give it back but he grabs her hands, pins them behind her on the bar, and oh god.

He somehow manages to get her bra off with one hand, a skill he's definitely honed since he came back, because Robin was never good at bras before. His left hand is still holding down her wrist and she loves it, loves that she has no control of this and is completely surrendered to his wills. She trusts him openly, completely, and it's what makes being entirely at his whims so damn hot.

He's incredibly attractive right now, all riled up and passionate, taking out his frustrations on her body. All she can do is watch, and watch she does. Right up until the moment his mouth covers her nipple, sucking firmly in a way that sends pleasure shooting down into her belly. Her head tips back, eyes closing as he continues the tantalizing sensation, drawing it out, then switching to the other side.

He releases her hands but commands her to keep them back on the bar, which makes her moan, she loves when he's in control and does as he says, delighting in the rush it gives her. All the while he is kissing down her belly as his hands' fiddle with her jeans.

Once he has her jeans off, he removes her underwear, undoing his own fly, letting his jeans fall down his hips and his prominent erection spring out. God, he's loving this just as much as she is. She needs him naked, and inside her, needs it so badly it's almost insane.

But he has other plans, kneels down and starts to trail kisses up her thighs as she writhes and moans, ensuring that she keeps her hands locked in place where he wanted. As his lips slide up sensitive skin, she throbs in anticipation, throaty sounds of appreciation falling from her lips. She knows he likes to hear her, so she makes sure he knows just how good he's making her feel.

Her sex is aching for attention now, she needs him, or his tongue, needs some sort of pressure against her now throbbing clit. This is so damn hot, him taking her roughly on the bar, she does not need any kind of extended foreplay, this is more than enough.

Thankfully he seems to agree, his fingers ghost over her wetness, moaning softly in a way that makes her clench as he does, then he's standing, pushing down his boxers and stepping out of both them and his pants. She longs to grab that fine ass she can sort of see reflected in the window, but then he's kissing her and guiding his cock against her, rubbing it over her clit and making her pant with anticipation.

She's longing for that moment when he sinks into her, she's plenty wet, plenty riled up from this rough, desperate foreplay. She needs him, doesn't he know that? He's still continuing that delectable torment with his cock oh so close to where she needs it when the kiss breaks, so she opens her eyes, looks down at what he's doing and can't help but gasp, which draws a smirk from him.

"You like that, love?" he asks in a low, needy tone that just makes her want him even more.

"Yes, but, mmm, need you."

He lines himself up perfectly so all it will take is the smallest of movement and he'll be inside her, then stops to tease, "You want my cock in you?"

"Fuck, yes." He doesn't move and so she resorts to, " _Please,_ Robin, I need it."

With that, he sinks inside her and they both moan at the exquisite sensation.

She hasn't moved her hands yet, is being good, but she wants to, "Can I—mmm—move my hands now?"

He shakes his head no and she groans, which turns into a moan when he shifts while fully inside her and presses up against her g-spot.

"There?" he asks as he does a testing thrust, and oh god, yes, that's it.

She's not sure whether she said it or he just knows from her expression, but he keeps that delicious angle, and she's crying out as heat floods her at his every thrust. He takes her hard and fast, fingers gripping at her hips as he pounds into her again and again. The heat is building inside of her, and she's loud, too loud, but no one's here and he's fucking her on the bar, and good god it's _fantastic._

He shifts, knocks against her more firmly, and _oh fuck, that's it_. Her eyes squeeze shut and everything tightens. She feels her breath pick up, her legs start to shake and she can't stop it, can't do anything but moan and writhe under the onslaught. It's good, so good, and she tells him so, begs him to go faster and harder which he does, making hot tension in her belly increase even more.

She needs to come. Needs it so badly and this is heavenly, but also not enough because there's this tension, that torsion of heat inside her that's begging to be set free. This isn't enough to set it free, but it's so damn good, she almost doesn't want to, except that she's so fucking tense it needs to. She has to release it, she can't take much more.

"My… mmm—my clit, _please_."

"Do it, darling, get yourself off for me."

He slows a bit so she can and she wedges a hand between them, rubs circles against the aching nub and tremours, crying out at the harsher influx of pressure. Then he goes fast again, and her mouth falls open on a broken scream. Just when she thinks the tension can't possibly wind any tighter, it does, then explodes out in a rush of heat and bliss that has her twitching and moaning as she rides out her orgasm. The sensation overwhelms her, relief flooding her veins as she relaxes in his hold, her hand falling away, while he winds up.

He's panting now, gasping broken words of pleasure as he rams into her. She rakes her nails down his back—had moved her hands during orgasm without complaint so figures it's fair game. Then she attacks his neck, giving him the same bruising kisses there that he'd given her, knowing that he loves a rougher touch, especially when he's close to coming.

"Fuck, love, close," he grunts, looking sexy as sin as he does so, his eyes fixed where he's pumping in and out of her.

"I want it. Come for me, I want to feel it. Let go."

He looks up at her, devours her mouth as he keeps up the swift pace, then stiffens, breaks away from the kiss and moans as he spills inside her.

He sags against her, his hands rest on the bar to hold his weight up, and his mouth finds hers for a soft, seeking kiss.

"Wow… that was…" she lets the words hang, doesn't have to fill them in, she can tell he knows and agrees.

He kisses her and she pops herself off of the bar, rolling her wrists after a moment which makes him grimace.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize."

She stops him, waggling her finger at him. "Don't be, it was amazing."

He smirks, "God, was it ever. And that was… I'm not mad anymore, so thank you."

"Considering I'm the one that made you mad, I don't think you need to thank me."

He chuckles, "Perhaps not, but I love you, so much."

She beams back at him. "I love you, too. Now let's go to bed."

* * *

Things are getting easier for him at the bar. He's getting good, turns out he has a knack for this, and it shouldn't really be surprising because he used to charm his way in places to scope them out before he robbed them. He's always been good at reading people, knowing when to keep going and when to pull back.

It's given Regina time to go off and investigate, not that it's done her much good so far, but he's confident she'll figure something out.

He's gotten to know most of the regulars, met not-his-Hook, Rogers, the other day, but has yet to meet Rumplestiltskin, Weaver here, who has fallen off the radar much to Regina's dismay. While it is concerning, Robin thinks it's far more likely he is protecting himself from Facilier than fallen victim to him.

Robin knows the regulars, the menu, and the staff's strengths and weaknesses. He knows how to work with them all.

Today though the other bar staff are off and he's working with his favourite person by far, the boss, the love of his life.

She's stunning today, every day really, but especially today in those high waisted tight jeans and that black print t-shirt, and open shirt over top of it. Even though it's more clothes, something about the layers makes him want her even more, and her hair in those sexy waves he can't seem to keep his hands out of.

When she smiles over at him, offering an adorable almost wink, his belly warms, god he loves her, every inch. He's so stupidly in love with her, just a soft smile can make his whole day. When she's like this, happy and flirty, it's incredible. This is what he wanted, this is what he waited so long for, to have moments like this with his love. Now that he's back, he doesn't take a single moment for granted. Things aren't perfect, nowhere near, but he doesn't focus on the bad, Regina does more than enough of that for the both of them. He focuses on the good, what he does have, which is time with the woman he loves.

They aren't too busy right now, he has a table of older ladies that come in twice a week for an early lunch or an early dinner who love him. He turns on the charm, asks them about their grandkids and they eat it up. Regina actively encouraged him to flirt with them that first day, and boy did it ever work. He thinks she might get more of a kick out of it than they do. He sees her watching him as he tops off Lorna's decaf and offers Bonnie a second glass even though he knows she'll say no. Mary has a story, so he turns his focus to her, listens to her tale and laughs at the appropriate moments even though it's not that funny.

When he comes back to the bar, Regina gestures over to the corner booth on the other side, and tells him, "Remember Lucy's fake dad? That's him."

He hadn't looked over, but now he does and his heart stops.

It's Roland. His son is here, and Robin is frozen, can't move, doesn't know what to do. Relief and grief and all these conflicting emotions race through him, and he doesn't know how long he stands there gaping. Everything is tuned out, he can't hear anything, and all he can see is Roland. His son.

He's here, he's safe, and the relief outweighs everything else swirling. My god, he can _talk_ to his son. It won't be the same but it's even more than he let himself hope for.

Roland is here.

Roland is alive.

Roland is safe.

Roland is here, has been here, this whole time. He starts to regain his other senses and hears Regina's voice, "Robin, Robin."

He doesn't turn to look at her, can't take his eyes off of his son, and when he opens his mouth, all that comes out is, "Roland."

"That's _Roland_?" she gasps, and he nods, finally turning his attention away from his son for a second to catch Regina floundering.

"But he's… and he… _Oh my god_ , Roland hit on me. No, no, no, _no_."

He's so aghast and maybe it shouldn't be funny, but he finds it fucking hilarious, devolves into a fit of snickers as she whaps him on the arm, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment which only makes him laugh harder.

This curse really is something. Roland the womanizer, who hits on everyone including bartenders that happen to be his dad's soulmate, god, it's too much. This is too funny.

When he finally controls the giggles—after two false starts where he thought he was okay then thought of it and lost it all over again—he realizes what a gift he's been given.

His daughter is coming back next week and his son is here. His whole family will be together in one place for the first time in twenty years. He's so damn happy. _This_ is all he ever wanted. Yes, they aren't awake yet, don't know who they truly are, but he can talk to them, and that's enough for him for now.

With that, he makes his way over to Roland, smiles at his boy and says, "Hi, I'm Robin. What can I get you?"


End file.
